


Magnus and the American

by Sinistretoile



Category: Wallander (UK TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blow Jobs, Blow Jobs in a Car, Boats and Ships, Brotherly Bonding, Brothers, Chair Sex, Cock Tease, Coitus Interruptus, Cunnilingus, Drunken Flirting, Drunkenness, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, First Time, Fishing, Flirting, Fluff and Smut, Hand Jobs, Hurt No Comfort, Investigations, Karaoke, Kitchen Sex, Masturbation in Shower, Meeting the Parents, Mild Smut, Minor Character Death, Modeling, Morning Sex, Oral Sex, Photography, Plot Devices, Plotbunnies, Police Procedural, Psychological Trauma, Road Head, Roadie, Sex, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Smut, Suicide, Swimming, Teasing, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Vaginal Fingering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-28
Updated: 2016-03-08
Packaged: 2018-05-09 22:19:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 23,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5557634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinistretoile/pseuds/Sinistretoile
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Magnus and Rue meet over a spilled beer and reluctant karaoke. Their attraction is spontaneous and natural. They would be getting along famously if it wasn't for the serial killer leaving bodies all over Ystad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Rue couldn’t begin to explain how grateful she was that everywhere she went there was a predominance of people that could speak or knew English. Whether it was western English or the Queen’s English. She hadn’t had time to learn Swedish before she’d accepted the temporary position. All she thought of was the chance to travel and work in another country. To see how other cultures saw things.  
She also couldn’t explain how grateful she was that she’d found a karaoke bar. One of the other photogs sat next to her, sipping his pint. She drummed on his back.  
“Jools! Come on, come sing with me.”  
“No, Rue. I’m not making a tit of myself up there.”  
“So you‘ll leave me to do it by myself?” He laughed. “Come on.” She grabbed his sleeve and jumped up and down like a little kid. “Please! I’ll buy your drinks the rest of the night.”  
He downed the last of his pint. “Alright, alright.”  
“Yay!” She raised her hands in the air in triumphant fists then pumped them back and forth. The amount of alcohol in her system made her sway into the man behind her.  
He grunted. “Christ, can you be less annoying?” He looked up as she turned around. His jaw fell open, struck by her beauty and her unique look.  
“Sorry about that.” She saw where he’d spilled his beer on his shirt. “Shit, I’m so sorry.” She grabbed a couple napkins and dabbed at the wet spot on his green button-down. “I’ll buy your next drink. I’m so sorry.”  
“Rue and Jools!”  
“Oh, that’s me.” Rue shoved the napkins into his hand then grabbed Jools's hand and dragged him through the small crowd to the stage.  
Magnus watched this American with her crazy rainbow curls pull the dour looking man onto the stage. He could tell the man didn’t want to be there and really didn’t know the song. He couldn’t help but smile as she sang her heart out, dancing around the man to make him smile and bumping him with her hip.  
“…Oh, how she rocks in Keds and tube socks.” She kicked up her shoe then pulled the elastic on the top of her knee high socks. “But she doesn’t know who I am and she doesn’t give a damn about me.” His smile grew with the first chorus and the second verse. The dour man finally joined her brokenly on the second chorus. “Cause I’m a just a teenage dirtbag, baby. Yea, I’m just a teenage dirtbag, baby. Listen to Iron Maiden maybe with me.”  
Rue smiled at the blonde she'd bumped into. A cheer went up at the end of the song and she bowed. Jools practically ran off the stage, forcing her to chase him. He’d lost his place at the bar but that didn’t stop her from squeezing in next to Magnus again.  
“I owe you a beer.” She was out of breath and grinning. Her face was flushed and her eyes sparkled. Magnus felt the urge to kiss her, but he just returned her smile.  
“You do.” He held out his hand. “I’m Magnus.”  
She shook his hand. “Rue.”  
“You’re not from around here, are you?” He took a long pull off his beer, casually dropping his eyes lower to check out her chest and hips. He kicked himself for not getting a look at her ass on her way up to the stage, but he’d been so taken by surprise by her.  
“No, I’m not.”  
He waited for her to elaborate but she didn’t. “Well, before you buy me that beer, can I buy you a drink?”  
“Kahlua and milk.”  
“That seems quite heavy.”  
“Ulcer. If I’m boozing, I can’t have acid.” Well, that made sense. He signaled the bartender. “So what are you doing in a karaoke dive bar?”  
“It’s quiet for the most part.”  
“Jools! Ya beer!” She held up the glass then made a face when it sloshed over her hand. “Yuck, I don’t see how anyone can drink this shit.” She grabbed some napkins and wiped off her hand. Magnus grabbed her hand and drew it to his mouth. Her lips parted in nothing short of instanteous lust as his thin pink lips parted and he licked the rest of it off, gliding his tongue down the length of her finger. “Shit.”  
“Tastes fine to me.” He met her eyes.   
The air left her parted lips and again the urge to kiss her overwhelmed him. He wasn't the one to speak though. “Shit.”  
Jools took his glass, looking back and forth between his stunned coworker and the blonde. He could tell he'd just become a third wheel. “Hey listen, I’ve got an early shoot so this is me.”  
Rue pouted. “Really?” She sighed. “Alright, I’ll just take a cab home.”  
“You sure?” He cast a glance at Magnus. "You sure that's safe?"  
“It’s alright. I’m a cop.” He took another drink, washing the taste of her skin through his mouth.  
Rue smiled. “That doesn’t mean anything.”  
Magnus clutched his hand to his chest. “You wound me, madam.”  
“Really, Jools. I’ll be fine. I’ve got the cab's number and the police's. I’ll be fine.” She kissed his cheek. “You’re a peach.” Jools made it obvious that he was remembering what Magnus looked like then finished his beer and took his leave.  
“You work together?”  
“Yea, there’s four of us from all over. Jools got lucky to live here. Ki and I had to travel the farthest.”  
“Ki?"  
“She’s this little slip of a thing from Japan.”  
“And you, where are you from?”  
Rue grinned over the top of her glass. “That’s the second time you’ve asked that.”  
Magnus shrugged. “I’m a detective. I’m paid to ask questions.”  
Rue grabbed the straw to her drink and brought it slowly her lips. He followed the action, licking his own. “Well, you’re a detective. Detect.”  
He swallowed and forcibly removed his attention from her mouth. “Alright, you’re from America.”  
“Too easy. What region?” Magnus sipped his beer then looked her up and down. She laughed. “Would you like me to turn in a little circle? Maybe stick my ass out a little bit?”  
He cleared his throat, blushing in embarrassment at being caught. “For your information, I was trying to see if you had a tan.” He grinned. “But could you?”  
“You’re an ass.” He shrugged, still grinning. He could tell she didn’t mind because she was smiling. She turned in a circle. “There.”  
“But you didn’t stick your ass out.”  
She raised an eyebrow. He regretted his smart ass remark until she did him one better. Not one to shirk from a challenge or let a smart ass best her, Rue sidled herself between Magnus and the bar. He turned and opened his legs more to accommodate her. His eyebrows shot into his blonde curls as she turned around and pushed her ass against his crotch. She wound her hips then twisted away from him.  
“So what does my ass tell you about my hometown?’  
“Not a damn thing.” He shifted on the bar stool. He didn’t attempt to hide his adjustment of his awakening cock. “But you don’t have a tan so I’m guessing you’re not from the West Coast or the Southwest. You don’t have the telltale accents from Chicago, Boston, New York, New Jersey or the South.”  
“So you have no clue where I’m from, just where I’m not from.”  
He grinned and raked his fingers through his hair. “That’s about right.”  
“It’s a good thing you’re pretty because you’re not a good problem solver.”  
“Now wait a minute, just because I’m not an expert in linguistics doesn’t mean I’m not a good detective.” Rue raised her hands in supplication. She finished the drink Magnus bought her. As it usually does, her state of inebriation caught up with her.  
With a huff, she sat on Magnus’s thigh. “Detective, would you be so kind as to call me cab? I’ve hit my limit.”  
Magnus set his beer on the bar and pulled out his cellphone. He watched her entertain herself by staring at the lights as he called for a cab. Her eyes closed and he thought she passed out. His fingers brushed a colorful strand of hair from her shoulder. Rue’s head rolled on her shoulder to face him. Again, he thought she’d passed out.  
“Rue?” His palm brushed her cheek and her eyes opened slowly. “There you are. The cab’s on its way.” She nuzzled his hand with her cheek. He sighed. Why did she have to be drunk? Not that he was in the habit of picking up strange women in bars, but she was different and beautiful and he really, really wanted to kiss her.  
Rue drew a breath in through her nose and leaned further into him until he was forced to wrap his arm around her shoulder. She laid her head on his chest. For the third time, he thought she’d passed out. “You smell nice, Detective.”  
Magnus smiled. “Thank you.” The bartender signaled to him that her cab had arrived. “Come one, my little American. Your cab is here.” He helped her up and out to the cab. “Rue, tell the driver where you’re staying and he’ll take you there.” He gave the man more than the cab ride would cost. As the cab drove away, he bit his lips wondering if it had been the best idea to just put her in the back of the cab. Especially if he didn’t know where she was going or who the driver was. “Shit.”


	2. Chapter 2

Magnus checked the blotter, daily. His relief at her not being on there was short-lived. His guilt somewhat overwhelmed him. That is, when he wasn’t working on a case, he was worrying about Rue’s welfare. So much so that he put a call into the American Embassy.  
His eyes had grown tired of staring at witness reports and crime scene photos. He laced his fingers behind his head and leaned back in the chair. Before too long, his staring at the ceiling turned into a short nod off. Ann Brit found him like this, placing the case files on the conference table quietly. She watched him for a moment then picked them up and slammed them back down.  
Magnus jerked up, smacking his knee on the conference table. “Bloody hell.” He rubbed it, glaring daggers at his fellow detective as she giggled. “Was that really necessary?”  
“No, but it amused me. Here’s the files you requested. Thankfully, my case load was low. You owe me one.” She started to walk away then stopped. “Oh and there’s an attache from the American Embassy on hold for you on line three.” She paused at the door.  
Magnus jumped up and darted for the phone. “Yes, hello, this is detective Martinsson.” Ann Brit’s brow furrowed. She wasn’t aware of a case that was connected to the Americans. In a close knit department such as the detectives, there wasn’t much the others weren’t aware of.  
Magnus listened to the attache on the other end of the phone. “Thank you, it’s somewhat embarrassing, but I’m glad to hear she’s alright.”  
The attache laughed a high feminine laugh. “Oh yes, she’s very much alright. She was rather perturbed at being interrupted on the job. You’d do well to make it up to her, detective.”  
He was glad the woman on the other end couldn’t see his embarrassed blush. “If she’ll let me, thank you.”  
“Good day, detective.”  
“Good day.” Magnus hung up the phone and looked around the room. His relief settled through him, washing away the tension he felt. The unfortunate side effect from that, it washed away his desire to stare at anymore crime scene pictures.  
Just by chance, he stopped at the karaoke bar on the way home. No one stood at the lonely mic on the stage. In fact, without the lively night crowd, the bar held a depressing air. That didn’t stop him from taking off his jacket and ordering a beer.  
He was on his sixth beer and the night crowd had started to filter in when the large purse slammed onto the bar next to him. “Do you have any idea how hard it was to explain to the principal photographer why an American Embassy attache interrupted a high profile magazine shoot?”  
Magnus swallowed and looked up at her from his beer. She was just as beautiful as before. More so with her cheeks flushed from cold and anger. “Listen-“  
“No you listen, I-“ Before she could launch into a tirade, he stood up off the bar stool and grabbed her around the back of the neck, crashing his lips to hers. Her eyes widened and her body stiffened in surprise, but his tongue was insistent. Her eyes closed and she melted into him, winding her tongue with his.  
Magnus pulled away slowly, their lips sticking together reluctantly. His eyebrows lifted as he looked at her. “I’m sorry.”  
“Well, in that case, buy me a drink and kiss me like that again and you’re forgiven.”  
Magnus signaled the bartender then helped her off with her jacket. “I wanted to apologize for the other night. I should have seen you home, wherever that is.”  
“I appreciate the concern. Ki just happened to be up talking to her fiancé. And the cab driver was a perfect gentleman.” Magnus nodded. “So, let’s discuss your making up this whole thing up to me.”  
Magnus paused with the bottle on his bottom lip. He swallowed the mouthful of beer then turned to her slowly. “And how would I be making it up to you?”  
“For starters, you will be singing with me tonight. At least one song. Then you owe me dinner and maybe dancing.” He smiled. This making up wasn’t too bad. “Oh and you’ll have to take Friday off. I told my principal you were modeling for me. I’ve to pee. Be right back.” She hopped off the bar stool and kissed his cheek.  
“Hey, wait!” He tried to find her in the growing crowd but she’d disappeared into the darkened room. “Shit.”

Rue’s back pressed up against the bars of the screen door. She wasn’t complaining. Magnus’s knee was between her legs and his hot, eager mouth plied her with kisses. She gasped at the flex of his thigh. The denim seam pressed against her clit through the thin silk of her panties. Neither cared that the porch light acted as a spotlight above them, putting them on view of the neighbors and anyone passing by.  
They’d exchanged phone numbers upon her return from the bathroom. Then they matched each other nearly shot for shot before singing their first song together. This time when he’d put her in the back seat of the cab, she’d pulled him in with her. The driver stole glances in the mirror the entire ride. Though neither went under clothes, they kissed and ground enough to make it look like sex.  
Rue broke the kiss. “Keys.” Magnus patted his pockets but she giggled. “My keys, silly.”  
“Oh right.” She tugged them from her purse and turned around to unlock the screen door. He brushed a blue curl from her neck and pressed his lips to the pale, freckled skin there. His hands found her hips. She took a step back into him to open the door. “Can part of making it up to involve an orgasm or four?”  
Rue giggled, her head light with the alcohol and endorphin. “Perhaps, so long as you don’t have whiskey dick.”  
“Whiskey dick?” He pulled her hips back into his groin, not grinding but pushing hard against her ass so she could feel the full, hard erection in his jeans. “Does that feel like whiskey dick to you?”  
Rue bit her lip, resisting the urge to push back against him. She’d never get him in the house if she did. They’d wind up fucking on the porch and that wouldn’t look good for either of them. She opened the door and pulled him in by his collar.  
They stumbled up the stairs, connected at the mouth, leaving a trail of jackets and shoes. Their shirts and her bra ended the trail at her bedroom door. Ki opened her door. “Yankee Doodle, keep it down. Xing is on a deadline.”  
Rue looked over her shoulder. Magnus waved half-heartedly but his attention went back to her breasts. His large hands covered each of them. “Hye, ninja princess.” Ki rolled her eyes then shut the door hard.   
“Who was that?”  
“Ki, my flat mate for the time being.”  
“Oh right, the one from Japan.” Magnus recalled the information, but he wasn’t really thinking about the Japanese girl across the hall. His lips had found her collarbone in their journey to her breasts, where he discovered that she gasped when he grazed his teeth against the dip of skin.  
Rue backed them up to the bed, kicking the door shut behind them. “Magnus. Martinsson. Mags.” She shoved him back to sit on the bed. “You wait right there. I’ll be right back.” He sat on the side of the bed, watching as she shimmied out of her jeans. Bright red silk and lace panties caused him to lick his lips and reach for her again.  
Almost cartoonishly, she swatted his hands away, laughing. To his satisfaction, the front sported a dark wet spot. Again, he licked his lips. This time when he reached for her, she wasn’t able to get away. He kissed her belly and pulled her to straddle his lap, putting her breasts in his face. He closed his mouth over her left nipple, holding her hands behind her back. He traced his tongue down the curve of her breast before he took in a mouthful and bit lightly. She moaned and rocked against him. He then traced the outermost line of the tattoo under her breasts.  
After, he’d get a good look at it. Maybe ask her the meaning behind the piece of art that rested under her breasts and went up between them along her sternum then flared out across her chest. In the meantime, her nipples tasted like the sweetest berries to his drunken tongue and when he bit down gently, her wiggling hips pushed her cunt against the bulge of his painfully hard cock.  
He released her hands to run his palms up her smooth back. He grunted in a surprised delight at the sharp tug she gave his blonde curls. “I said I’ll be right back.” She slid backward off his lap. He couldn’t help the self-satisfied grin at the wet spot being bigger. The adjoining bathroom door closed. With sigh, he flopped back on the bed. It’d been longer than he cared to admit that he’d been with a woman. No matter his good looks, they just couldn’t handle the pressure from his job and the odd hours. And since he wasn’t one to pick a woman up from a bar… But old boy, you did just that. Well, Rue was an exception, not the rule. His inner monologue quieted as his eyes drifted shut.  
Rue had popped a couple antacid mints to stop her tummy churning. The drawback of the ulcer she had…and the shots she’d done to get his ass up on stage with her. A run of the brush through her hair, a confident boob check, a check to make sure she didn’t have any offensive odor down there, and she was ready to go. Mind you, all this took about three minutes.  
She opened the door but he didn’t move. His chest rose and fell in a slow, steady rhythm as she crossed the room. “Mags?” He didn’t move. She leaned over him to find him adorably passed out. With a sigh, she sat on the bed next to him. This was for the best. She had the early shoot anyway. She grabbed a blanket from the chair and threw it over him. She set a glass of water on the nightstand closest to him then checked her alarm was set.

Magnus opened his eyes to a darkened room. For a moment, he didn’t know where he was at. The sound of soft, steady breathing brought it back to him. Shit. He’d passed out. And from the dead rodent in his mouth, he’d been sleeping with his mouth open. He sat up, spying the glass she’d left for him. He sucked it down thankfully. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw her bare shoulder above the covers.  
In more of an act of comfort than of any desire to resume their activity, he shed his jeans then slipped under the covers with her. Should he stick to his side of the bed? Fuck it. He scooted up to her, lining his front along her back. He slipped his arm around her waist and was rewarded with her instinctive snuggle back against him. He pressed a soft kiss to her bare shoulder then settled back to sleep.

An alarm cut right through his head. He shouted as he received an elbow to the ear when Rue’s arm went back to slap the alarm.  
“Sorry, babe.” He grunted and pulled her tighter against him. “No, no, I’ve gotta get up. Early shoot this morning. I’m already on Alex’s shit list from yesterday.” She rolled in his arms. “I’ll come by the station and we can get lunch.”  
“I’ll settle for that.” Rue smiled. He smelled of vodka, musk and his cologne. He drew a breath in through his nose as she pressed her lips to his chest. Her fingertips trailed down the line of his spine to his round ass. “You keep that up and we’ll both be late.”  
“Oh, but it’d be worth it.”  
“It would.”  
Rue kissed his throat. “Go back to sleep, babe. I’ll see you at lunch.” Magnus didn’t have to be told twice. He rolled over, pulling her pillow against his chest.  
Rue jumped in the shower, making quick work of her morning routine in the dark. A slice of light from the bathroom was her only aid. She refilled his glass of water and left a few aspirin by it. She kissed his forehead before leaving him to sleep off their drunk. She couldn’t explain the familiarity between them. They just felt natural together. If nothing more, she’d have a great story to tell her friends back home about.


	3. Chapter 3

The officer escorted Rue back to where Magnus sat pouring over crime scene photos. His concentration was so focused, he didn’t realize she was there. Feeling cheeky, she stood behind him and leaned over, nuzzling the tip of her nose into his ear.  
“You look so handsome. I wish I’d brought my camera.”  
Magnus jerked at the touch of her nose and the sound of her voice, but his surprise gave way to a smile. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you.” She leaned his head back and kissed him upside down.  
“Ready for lunch?”  
He licked his lips and smiled. “Yea, just let me clean these up.” He started to stack up the crime scene photos.  
Rue picked one up and looked at it. “What is this?”  
“Crime scene from an on-going investigation.” He tried to take it from her, but she turned away from him.  
“Two things, baby. One, your photographer sucks. And two, what the hell kind of camera are you using?” She huffed and lowered the photo. Her eyebrow raised in question.  
“I don’t know. Please, Rue, you’re not supposed look at these.”  
“I won’t say a word. But, look.” She snatched the rest of the photos from him and laid them out. “Your tech is atrocious. These with the flash, they illuminate some things but wash out other details. That’s why you take two sets; one with flash and one without. But the set without flash, here,” She pointed to the same scene but darkened, “is so deep in shadow that you can’t see shit. There’s literally no natural light. Which means you’ve lost all this detail that the flash washed out.”  
Magnus looked from the photos to Rue. “How do you know all that?”  
“I’m a professional. I took a class in forensic photography.” She grinned. “Also, these look like they were taken with a cellphone and remotely printed. You need something digital. These are too blurry. I’m not suggesting hi-res, but this is amateur shit.” She tossed the photo between her fingers onto the table.  
Magnus grinned. He liked her spunk. But he should stop her looking at the photos. He thought this two fold when her face began to fall. “Here, let’s put these away.” Again, he began stacking them up.  
“Stop. Stop. Where is this, Mags?”  
“Rue, it’s an on-going investigation. I can’t tell you that.”  
“Magnus, stop.” She took the picture that he’d just picked up and held it face out on her chest. “This looks like one of Ki’s.”  
“One of Ki’s what?”  
“One of her shoots from Japan.” Rue pulled out her smartphone and tapped away. Ann Brit chose that moment to walk into the room. “See. She did this almost 2 years ago. It’s what got her the position.” Rue held up the magazine shoot next to the crime scene photo. They looked nearly identical except for their circumstances.  
Magnus took the phone. He looked back and forth between the picture on her phone and the picture in her hands. “Can you send this to me?”  
“Of course, babe.” Rue laid the picture down. She swallowed as she looked over the other pictures, focusing now on content and not quality. “Mags…how many crime scenes are there here?”  
“Five. Why?”  
Rue didn’t stop looking at the mess of gore and dead grey skin. “Can you group them?”  
“Yea? Just a sec.” Ann Britt crossed her arms over her chest, watching them. Magnus grouped the scenes together, end to end until the table was covered. He looked up from the photos. She’d gone white looking at the pictures. “Oh geez, you’re not going to be sick, are you?”  
“No, no.” Rue swallowed again and shook her head. “It’s not…it’s not the bodies.” She waved that away. “I’ve photographed riots in Brazil and the atrocities in Dafur. It’s not the bodies. It’s the placement.” She looked at him, utterly horrified. “These are our shoots.”  
“What’s going on here?” Ann Brit stalked up to the table. “Magnus, what’s the meaning of this?”  
“I-I…”  
“It’s my fault. I just came to get him for lunch. He tried to stop me.”  
“I think you should go now, miss.”  
“No, Ann Brit. She just gave us the connection.”  
“And what is that?”  
Rue’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “These are our shoots. I mean, obviously horrible reproductions. This one…” She pointed to one particularly gory photo. “That’s mine.” She swallowed her breathy voice. “And that’s Jools. That’s another of Ki’s. That’s Paolo’s.”  
Her heart rate picked up as her anxiety threw itself into overdrive. Magnus frowned. She was pale normally but her color now worried him. “Rue? Someone get a medic.”  
She waved off the suggestion and put her head between her knees. “I’m fine. I’ll be fine, Magnus. I just need a moment.”  
Ann Brit pulled him up and to the side. “Chief is not going to like this. Neither is Wallander.”  
“I know. She surprised me. But we’ve got a break.”  
“Yea, let’s just hope it’s admissible.” Magnus looked over his shoulder at Rue. She had turned the chair so her back was to the conference table. “We’re lucky the media hasn’t got a hold of this. But now that it’s looking like a serial, we’re going to have a hell of a time with the press.”  
“No one but us knows that right now. We restrict this information. No leaks within department.”  
“How do we explain how we found the connection?”  
“We don’t. All that matters is the evidence that connects them.”  
Ann Brit glanced over at Rue. “Take the rest of the afternoon off. I’ll talk to chief. See where we go from here.”  
“Right.” He combed his fingers through his hair, pursing his lips together. “Rue?” She looked up at him. Her eyes were red from fighting tears. “Come on, baby. Let’s go get lunch.” She swallowed and nodded. He pulled her up by her hands and into his arms. Ann Brit frowned. This wasn’t a good thing. But this was the first woman she’d seen Magnus with since he’d joined the department. So if she was seeing her at the station, it had to be serious. Right?

Rue sat cross-legged on the counter. Magnus leaned against the stove, facing her. “I’m sorry about this afternoon.”  
“So am I. It was just a little overwhelming.”  
“You know you can’t be involved in this, right?”  
“What do you mean?”  
“This is my case. Sure, the other detectives are helping. That’s what we do. But it’s my case and if I’m romantically involved with a material witness, that could put any conviction into question.”  
“Romantically involved?” Rue tilted her head to the side.  
“Well, yea…” He pushed off the stove and crossed his kitchen. He brushed the bright red and purple curls from her face as he tilted her head back. “I want to get to know you. Is that alright?”  
She smiled. “Yea, yes of course.”  
His head dipped, his mouth hovering over hers. Their eyes closed, they shared each other’s breath for a moment before their lips touched softly. He drew her into a slow, languid kiss, savoring the taste and feel of her. This, their first sober kiss, woke feelings in him that he didn’t want to poke at just yet. “I could kiss you all night.”  
“I don’t have anywhere to be.”  
He grinned and teased a kiss over her lips then pulled back. The doorbell rang. “That’ll be dinner.” Rue watched his back and his ass as he left her on the kitchen counter to answer the door.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus finally makes things up to Rue.

Rue sat in the living room with the TV on mute. The buttons of her mouse clicked sporadically then rapidly. Her head bobbed to the music coming from her ear phones. Her pretty face set in a frown as she tried to fix the resolution on one of her photos.  
A strong hand slipped into her hair and pulled her head back. She screamed but it was cut short as a tongue invaded her mouth. She started to bite down but saw who it was. This fucking guy. She kissed Magnus back with demand and teeth. She tossed the laptop onto the cushion beside her and reached for his belly over the back of the couch.  
His large hand covered her breast through the tight tee. She tugged his shirt free of his pants and scraped her nails lightly on his taut abdomen, garnering a pleased hiss in the kiss. Her nails didn’t stop there as her fingers slipped into the waistband of his jeans. He pulled her back by the handful of hair.  
“No fair.”  
“No fair? You wanna talk about fair?” He grinned. “How’d you get in here anyway?”  
“Ki let me. She recognized me from the other night.”  
“Ok, that’s the how. Why? You were supposed to meet me at the agency.”  
“I wanted to have breakfast with you and give you a ride into work.” He gasped when she cupped his soft cock. Her free hand unbuttoned and unzipped the jeans. He closed his eyes, his hot breath against her mouth while she stroked him. He licked his lips and found his voice. “Rue, what are you doing?”  
“Having breakfast.” She rolled up onto her knees as she pulled his cock free from the jeans and boxers. His fingers dove into her soft multi-colored tresses as her lips wrapped around the head and slid down the length. He closed his eyes then opened them again to look down at her. He couldn’t begin to thank the stars for this woman crossing his path.  
Rue tugged his pants down low enough, so she could massage his balls and stroke the shaft of his cock. Magnus’s jaw set forward. His chest heaved. “Aw god.” She was relentless. He tried to focus, to make it last, but her tongue kept licking him here and there, and her lips were so soft, and her hands knew just what pressure to use. God, the pressure was a weight in his legs. He managed to choke out her name before he came. “Rue-“ What was she- oh, fuck me, he thought. Her hands abandoned his cock and balls to grab his hips and choke herself on his length as he came. Her throat convulsed as she gagged but swallowed.  
She pulled him from her mouth and grabbed her morning coffee, drinking down the still too warm liquid. A trickle of coffee and cum escaped out the side of her mouth and she wiped it with the back of her hand. She looked at the clock on the wall. “Shit! We’ve gotta go.”  
Magnus blinked at her as she closed her laptop and jumped up. He tucked himself into his jeans, somewhat dazed by what had just happened. She pulled on her duster and wrapped her scarf around her throat then her bag over her shoulder. “Come on, then!” She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the foyer toward the door.  
He finally gained control of himself and pulled back on her hand. She looked back at him and squeaked as he pushed her up against the window that flanked the door. His mouth covered hers in a hot, quick kiss. He drew back reluctantly then went back in for more, kissing her bottom lip then her top, sucking in her breath. His hooded eyes looked from her lips to her eyes. “Thank you.”  
She half-smiled, breathless. “You’re welcome.” His long fingers rubbed her through her jeans. “Mags, we haven’t ti-time.” He buried his face in her neck, kissing her soft skin there and breathing her in. “Mags…” His name on her breath pinged through him. He popped the button on her jeans and wedged his hand between her body and the waistband.  
Rue closed her eyes and thumped her head against the glass. Was that his groan or hers as his fingertips touched her trimmed hair and found it soaking wet? He slipped a tip between her lips. His forehead pressed hers. “Do you want me to stop?” He kissed her again before she could answer. Instead, she whined into his mouth as he quick fingers found her clit and began a slow steady pressure.  
Rue’s hips bucked on Magnus’s fingers. Their mouths hovered close, mingling their breath. She licked her lips and his. “No but we have to. We-ah!” She closed her eyes and arched her back off the glass as he added his knee against those fingers. His mouth moved to her neck. “We can’t be late. Alex already wants to filet me.”  
“Then you better cum, sweetheart.” He pulled her earlobe into his mouth and was rewarded with a slew of expletives.  
Rue grabbed his wrist with one hand, his hair with the other. “Harder, Magnus. Harder, please.” Pleasure coiled in her belly, spiraling tighter. He pressed harder. Tighter. “Faster.” Tighter. He sped his fingers up, ignoring the cramp blooming in his forearm. Tighter. “Ah, god, yes-“ Her orgasm washed through her in warm flood.  
Magnus kissed her ear then her throat as she caught her breath and pulled his fingers free of her jeans. He looked over her flushed face. If it were possible for her to be more beautiful, it was after she came. He watched her tongue roll over her lips then she opened her eyes. He smiled a boyish prideful smile. She grinned and smacked his shoulder. He flinched playfully.  
“We’re going to be late.”  
“Just tell your boss we stopped for breakfast.” Rue’s lips screwed up as she fought the smile but lost.

Magnus walked out of the dressing room with a robe wrapped tightly around him. He sat down in the makeup chair. He couldn’t believe he was doing this. The artist pulled his unruly blonde mop into a bun at the back of his head.  
“Is that really necessary?”  
“Do I tell you how to do your job, pretty boy? Just sit there and be good and I’ll make you even prettier.” Magnus frowned. “Now, don’t frown, sugar. Just relax. I’ll make you a god and Rue-baby will make you immortal.”  
“She’s that good?”  
“The best of this group. And don’t talk.” The artist’s warm fingers were in contrast to the cold makeup she painted onto him. “Open your robe, sugar.”  
“Do I have to?” She didn’t even answer, just gave him a look that he’d seen on his mother a lot growing up. He sighed and untied the waist sash to let the collar fall open. She tugged the neck away from his neck and blended it in. “There you go, pretty boy. Onto hair with you then they’ll take you to Rue-baby.”  
Magnus tried to get a look in the mirror but the exasperating woman shooed him off. He sat in the chair with the beautician. “Why does she insist on these god awful buns?” The girl clicked her tongue angrily and practically ripped it out. He hissed between his teeth and grabbed onto the arms of the chair. “Tender-headed, are we? I promise I’ll be gentle, unless you like it rough, peaches.”  
He frowned and didn’t rise to her baiting. She didn’t do much to his hair before she sent him off to Rue. He cautiously walked up to her. The background behind the models was white. The male in the middle on the foam rock looked imposing as he brandished a triton. The females at his feet looked like disenchanted mermaids.  
“Ok girls, you’re killing me. Poseidon is your GOD. He’s the be all, end all in the sea. Left, I want you to cling to his legs and look like you’re about to ravage him and make little merbabies with him.” The crew tittered. “Right, I want you to look at me like you’re about to drown me and pick my bones clean. Back, I want you to look like all this beneath you and you’re about to go fuck some shit up. Pos, keep looking like an arrogant prick. And go.”  
Magnus had begun to smile but his smile faded as the models took her direction. He could almost picture a raging sea and sinking ships around them. Rue’s camera shuttered rapidly. She moved all around the models then moved into them. He was mesmerized by her and the way she turned the models into a god and his acolytes. He had begun to smile again. And like that, she was done. She whirled around to him. “You’re up Adonis!” And like that his smile fell.

Magnus lay on the couch, watching a footie game. His eyelids began to droop. Why did Rue and Ki keep their flat so warm? Why was he laying on their couch watching footie when he could be at his own flat watching it? Because this American nymph had cast some spell on him. He couldn’t get her out of his head. So when they’d finished the shoot and she’d invited him over for Thai take-out and wine ‘and’, he hadn’t hesitated. Plus, the din of their music and back and forth was welcome over the quiet or his upstairs neighbors fighting.  
Rue climbed over the back of the couch and flopped onto his stomach. “Look it!” He made a sound like ‘ooph’ at her sudden weight on his stomach. He propped himself up on his elbows, looking at the laptop resting on her knees. “You really are Adonis.” His jaw dropped at the picture on the monitor. No way that was him. She turned it so he could fully see. The white background was gone. He stood in a crumbling pantheon with vegetation growing wildly around him. The maidens at his feet were in age ranges from birth to death.  
“That’s amazing.”  
She beamed and turned the laptop to face her. “Thank you. I’m really proud of this shoot. I had some great models. Yourself included, detective.”  
He blushed. “I had a spectacular photographer.” He closed her laptop from the back.  
“Hey!” He pulled it off her knees and set it on the coffee table. She turned to him to give him hell, but her ire was snuffed when he slid his fingers into her hair at the base of her neck and pulled her mouth to his.  
The kiss went on forever. A thorough tasting of every inch of each other’s mouth. Rue turned to sit astride his lap and was rewarded with the hard bulge of his cock in his jeans. She pressed her crotch down against the bulge, making them both moan. The doorbell rang but they ignored it. Magnus pulled her back.  
His eyes held the budding feelings in his heart, mind and soul. “I like you.” His thumb traced her jawline from her ear to her chin. She kissed the pad of his thumb.  
“I like you too.” His fingertips trailed down her spine.  
Cursing in Japanese and stomping broke the moment. “Yankee Doodle! Pretty boy! Your food is here. I’m not paying. I pay last time.”  
Rue sighed and pushed off Magnus. “I’ve got it, ninja princess.” He watched her disappear around the corner. They fit good together, but he didn’t want to rush it or even poke it with a really long stick. She was here on a temporary visa for work. She’d have to go home to America. There was no point in getting attached. Right?


	5. Chapter 5

Magnus fidgeted with the knot of his tie. He pulled on it with a single finger between his shirt and his Adam’s apple then swallowed. The door opened and Ki whistled.  
“Pretty boy clean up nice. Rue’s almost ready. You wanna beer?”  
He opened the screen door and stepped inside. “No thanks, I’m driving.” He closed the door behind him.  
“Flowers? You really busting out the big guns, huh?”  
Magnus blushed. “I don’t date many women and I’m really taken with Rue.”  
Ki flopped onto the couch and brought her beer to her lips. “She likes you too. She sings in the shower.”  
“Really?”  
“Yes, really. It’s horrible. Yankee Doodle can’t carry a tune for shit.”  
“I’ve heard her sing. She’s not that bad.”  
“For a white girl.” Ki turned to the TV and ignored him.  
Rue ghosted her fingers over his shoulders and he turned. “Wow.” He blatantly looked up her up and down. Her chest piece and cleavage looked mouthwatering in the figure-hugging black dress. The layered skirt of the dress fluttered about her knees, but he couldn’t see her calves from the black leather boots that ended just below her knees. “Rue, you look stunning.”  
Rue demurred. “Thank you, Magnus.”  
“I hope you like roses. I thought you did.”  
“Because of the bouquet of them around my tits?”  
Magnus grinned. “Well, yes actually.” He handed her the pink and light orange blooms.  
“Thank you.” She kissed him, a soft press of her full lips. He leaned in her to deepen the kiss but she pulled back. “I’ll just go put these in water and we can go.” His brow pinched at her pulling away. To stave off his sense of rejection, she grabbed his hand and pulled him into the kitchen. When they were out of sight of living room, she turned and pushed him up against the cabinets. “If you kiss me more, we’ll never to get the restaurant.”  
He grinned. “I think I could figure out something to eat.” He dipped his head and kissed her open-mouthed, his hand dropping between her legs. She kissed back a moment then danced away before he could work her up with his hand.  
“I’m sure you could, but you owe me dinner. And maybe dancing.” He leaned against the cabinets, watching her hips sway. With a deep breath, he shoved his hand through his hair. This woman had him sprung.  
Rue ignored him as she filled a large clear glass with water and clipped the steams of the roses with kitchen scissors. She could feel his eyes on her back as she moved. This was a bad idea. Getting involved with a man here. Bad idea or not, she couldn’t suppress the smile at the roses. And the way he looked at her like she was the most beautiful girl in the world. She placed the roses on the table in the breakfast nook. The sun had dropped behind the tree line so none hit at the moment, but the windows on both exterior walls assured that it would be in sunlight most of the day.  
“Alright, let’s boogie.”  
Magnus grinned and held out his hand. She slipped hers into his. His thumb caressed over her knuckles. They didn’t let go until he had to shut the car door after he’d opened it and helped her in. She leaned over and opened his since it was unlocked when he’d pressed the key fob. He paused, recalling the scene from A Bronx Tale.  
Again, that smile settled on his lips as he opened it the rest of the way and slid into the driver’s seat. He rested his hand on her knee as he drove. Hers covered his, their fingers holding onto each other. He glanced at her once at the stoplight to see her looking out the window with a soft smile. Oh yea, he was done for.

The waiter brought their entrees and didn’t bother to ask if everything was alright. He knew from the looks on their faces, his intrusion wouldn’t be welcome. Since Magnus wasn’t drinking because he drove, Rue didn’t drink either.  
She sipped her water to wash down her veal. “So what made you want to be a detective?”  
Magnus thought as he chewed. “I wanted to be a cop since I was a lad. And I’d always been good at problem solving. It just seemed natural.” He paused the fork at his mouth. “Why’d you choose photography?”  
Rue grinned. “I’ve been taking pictures since I can remember. Of everything. My brother’s Legos that he built, anything my mom cooked because it was so rare, my dad in the garage. Piles of leaves, clouds, you name it. I have shoe boxes full of 3x5s, 4x6s and polaroids.”  
“I’d love to see them.”  
Rue blushed. She hid it by looking down at her plate. “You’ll have to come to America then.”  
“I just might do that.” She covered her giddy smile with a fake cough and took a drink of water. Magnus’s phone rang. “Shit.” He ignored it through the first call. The second, he sighed, frustrated.  
Rue reached across the table and grabbed his hand. “It’s alright.”  
He pulled his phone out, turning his hand so he could hold hers. “Martinsson.” She watched his face change from slightly annoyed at being interrupted to serious. “Text me the address. I’ve got to run my date home and I’ll be right there.” He paused before hanging up. “Well, thank you for that.” Rue had already signaled the waiter and he’d made his way over to the table. “Yes, we need the check.”  
“Something wrong, sir?”  
“Oh no, work.” The waiter nodded then excused himself. “Rue, I’m really sorry about this.”  
“It’s fine, Mags. If you really need to go, I can take a cab.”  
“Nonsense, I picked you up, I’ll take you home.” He sighed, with a half-smile across the table to her. “It’s the least I can do for our date being interrupted.”  
“Alright, just…I know you’re going to be busy. Let me know when you’re back at the station?”  
“I will.”

Magnus frowned as he looked at the crime scene photos. He’d sent Rue’s recommendations to the crime lab. These were better. Nothing like a fresh scene though. He’d tried to take in all he could from the scene itself and the bodies. As soon as he’d gotten to the station, he’d called Rue. Then he’d set to work.  
The killer had recreated another photo shoot. According to the shoots on file from the principal photographer, this one from Rue’s friend Jools and this time children were involved. He looked up at a knock on the door jamb. “Knock knock.”  
Her beautiful rainbow hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail and she’d changed out of her dress into a low cut cami and yoga pants. He smiled at the sight of her. His heart tripped over the smile she returned him. “Hey, you didn’t have to come all the way down here.”  
She shrugged. “We didn’t get dessert.” She held up a brown paper bag. “Can you take a break?” She glanced at the table.  
“Um, yea, just gimme a second.” He gathered up the photos and reports. Rue looked around the empty room.  
“Not many people in this department at night.”  
“No, we’ve all usually gone home by now unless something new comes up.” He looked around at the empty desks. She set the bag on the table then looked up at him. He swallowed. Why did this woman give him butterflies like a damn teenager? Because she’s perfect? She stood close but not quite touching, her mouth dangerously close to his.  
“Will you get in trouble if you kiss me on duty?”  
“No.”  
“Good.” Rue kissed him with eager tongue, slipping her arms around his shoulders. He encircled her waist and pulled her that minuscule distance to him. He drew her in deeper, cutting off a moan when her fingers began to play with his hair.  
“I’m sorry our date got cut short.”  
She shrugged, leaning back so she could look into his eyes. “It’s part of your job. I might be a little annoyed and disappointed, but I’ll get over it.” She brushed her lips over his. “Especially if you make it up to me.”  
He smiled. “I owe you dancing.”  
“You do. Now, sit. Before it melts.”  
“What melts?”  
“This is my stash.” She pulled out two pints of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. “My two favorite flavors, Cherry Garcia and Pistachio Pistachio.” She handed him a spoon. “You have to try both.” He tried to take the spoon but she snatched it out of his reach. “Wait, I want to feed you the first bite.”  
“Rue, love, we can’t mess around in here. If someone catches us-“  
“Mags, we’re just eating ice cream. It’s not like I’m going to dip your dick in the ice cream and lick it off.” He raised an eyebrow. “Ice cream is too cold. You’ll go limp. That’s what whip cream is for.” His eyes widened then he burst out laughing. She licked the spoon then ate a spoonful of the cherry. “Open.” She dotted the confection on his nose then put it in his mouth.  
He frowned playfully around the spoon then wiped off the tip of his nose. “That’s good. I like that. Chocolate and cherry. Like a cordial cherry.”  
“Only without the creamy white stuff.”  
He raised his eyebrow. “You’re just a dirty-minded little tart, aren’t you?”  
“Yup.” She ate a bite of the pistachio, grinning. Magnus took the other spoon and ate another bite of the cherry then got another bite ready. “Open.”  
“You too.” They fed each other their bites. She exaggerated the cleaning of the spoon with her lips. He swallowed the bite. “It’s good but I like the cherry more.” He spooned up another bite. “Open, love.” She grinned and opened her mouth again. He fed her bite then surprised her by kissing her. Their tongues tasted the cherry ice cream and each other. He pulled back and hummed in delight. “Oh yes, the cherry is my favorite.”  
Rue rolled her tongue over her lips, thinking. She ate another bite of the pistachio. She couldn’t very well do that to him. It wouldn’t seem original now. She set the ice cream aside and pulled him into another kiss. They finally broke when his phone rang.  
“This is Martinsson.” Rue’s lips dropped to his throat, her hand slipping between his legs despite his warning about fooling around. He spread his legs wider, making noises of affirmation into the phone. He sighed. “I’ll be right down.” He ended the phone call and set it on the table. He combed his fingers through his hair. “You’re killing me, Rue. Now, I’m going to have to go to the morgue with a semi.”  
“I could suck you off.” She popped the button on his slacks as he leaned back in the chair. His protests died when she slipped her hand into his boxers. She leaned over and kissed his neck as she stroked him awkwardly in the pants. Her kisses moved down his chest as she pulled his fully hard cock out of his pants.  
Magnus leaned back more, lifting his hips into her strokes. His hand was on her head, pushing her lower even as she was sliding to her knees. That simple action twisted desire in both of them. She looked up him, opening her mouth. His mouth mirrored hers. He heard himself say ‘yes’ as she licked a cool wet line up the vein on the underside of his cock then devour his top half. He closed his eyes and flexed his fingers in her hair.  
His deep breathing and the soft sounds of her sucking filled the empty room. If anyone caught them, he’d be suspended. He’d lose the case. But none of that mattered in that moment. All that mattered was this beautiful woman on her knees with his cock in her mouth. And that thing she was doing with her tongue. Fuck! Her name left his lips on a breath and his fingers tightened in her hair. She stroked him with her mouth and her hand, twisting up to her lips. He grunted and lifted up. “Rue.” He felt the pressure swell with a strong draw from her. Her groaned and fisted her hair.  
Rue pushed the head of his cock to the back of her throat as he spurted his orgasm in a series of twitches. She swallowed down cum and her gag reflex then grabbed his bottle of water off the table blindly. As soon as she pulled his spent cock from her lips, she drank down the rest of his water.  
“You ok?”  
She nodded as she swallowed the last mouthful. “It’s a texture thing.”  
Guilt washed over him. “You don’t have to swallow if you don’t like it.” He sat up, tucking his softening cock into his pants as he stood up. He pulled her up to stand.  
“It’s not that I don’t like it. I just…I hate the slimy texture of cum.”  
“Do you need a ride home?”  
She shook her head. “I drove.”  
He helped her clean up the ice cream then escorted her out of the station. “I want to take you to dinner again. And dancing this time.”  
“I’ll have to look at my schedule, but yea.” He leaned her up against her door and kissed her. Her mouth was a cacophony of flavors, the cherry and chocolate and the sweet nutty flavor mingled with the saltiness of his cum. He stepped into her body, his knee going between her legs. They were both breathing heavily when the kiss broke. “You better go before the coroner calls you again.”  
“I owe you an orgasm.”  
“You do.” She grinned. “You better eat this pussy like it’s your job.”  
“Oh really?”  
Her grin broadened. “Yes, really.” She gasped as he pushed his knee up against her.  
“And what will you do if I don’t?”  
“Simple, no more cock in mouth.” She popped her lips and flicked her eyebrows upwards.  
“Well, we can’t have that. Can we?” She shook her head. “Then I guess next date, you better not wear knickers. Or any that you might have a fondness for.” His phone rang. “Oh fuck it all.” She laughed and kissed his exasperated face.  
“Go on. Text me that you made it home safe.”  
“Yes, love.” He walked away then came back for one more kiss.  
“Go, Magnus.”  
“I’m going.” He said with his lips against hers. She pushed him away, laughing. “I’m going!” He trotted to his car, making sure she got safely into hers before getting in. He twisted his hands on the wheel as he watched her pull out and give him a cute little wave. He was definitely gone on this girl.


	6. Chapter 6

Their hands didn’t stop moving, grabbing and pulling against each other where they could. Their mouths parted from the ravenous kiss long enough to pull shirts over heads. Between new bodies and new leads on Magnus’s case and the demand for Rue’s camera growing, they’d been resigned to text for almost three weeks. Imagine Rue’s surprise when she answered the doorbell to the townhouse to find Magnus standing there with roses and a bottle of wine.  
That surprise was short lived though. She grabbed him by the collar and kissed him like she was drowning and he was air. Roses and wine clattered to the floor then clothes began to come off. Magnus pushed her up against the wall, his knee going between her legs. His mouth left hers to leave a trail of wet, sloppy kisses down her neck and collarbone. He scraped his teeth on the dip there to get her to gasp then bent down to lick and suck and bite the tops of her breasts.  
Rue arched off the wall, pushing him back against the staircase. She sucked and bit her way down his chest to his waistband. When she paused at his button and zipper, he stopped her. “No, baby, I owe you an orgasm.” He emphasized the words ‘owe’ and ‘you’. Rue didn’t stop. Instead, she leaned up to kiss and bite his belly as she released button and zipper.  
His cock throbbed in her hand when she reached in for it. He groaned and thumped his head against the banister as she devoured him. Her lips and tongue felt like absolute heaven. Warm, wet sucking heaven. His hips bucked uncontrollably. She held his jeans at the hips and rode his cock with her mouth. His phone rang from his back pocket.  
“Sonuva bitch!”  
Rue paused, twirling her tongue around the ridge of the head of his cock. “Let it go to voice mail.” She stroked him with her hand, twisting up to meet her lips. He groaned and left his phone right where it was at. Her free hand dropped to rub her cunt through her jeans. He looked down at her with parted lips, panting. He was so close. And she was doing that thing with her tongue again.  
“Ah god, Rue!” He fisted his hands in her hair and held her still as he came. She gagged and spit as soon as she pulled away. He pulled her up to stand and wiped the sides of her mouth with his thumbs. He kissed her then spun her around so her back was against the stairs.  
His phone rang a second time. He ignored it as his fingers worked on her button and zipper. He slipped his hand into her panties even as his other pulled on them. Rue wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him open-mouthed and full of tongue. They both moaned when he pushed his fingers inside her. He dropped to his knees, breaking the kiss.  
“Step out.” She did as he instructed. He threw her leg over his shoulder then pushed his face into her cunt. She shouted at the stab of sensation and grabbed the banister above her head. His tongue began an assault on her clit, licking and sucking the hard little bud. She grabbed a handful of his hair. Her hips moved of their own free will.  
Magnus grabbed her ass and held her against his face, sucking her clit harder and longer. Her moans grew louder and louder. When he pushed his fingers back inside her, it became too much and she cried out. He pulled his fingers out and rubbed the slick pads of them against her throbbing clit. She shouted and pulled on his hair. He then used those slick fingers to stroke his cock to full attention.  
“Where?”  
“I don’t care.” Their mouths met again at the same time his phone rang for a third time. “Maybe you should answer that.”  
He shook his head. “No, not this time.” He pulled her into the living room and looked from the couch to the floor. As soon as it stopped ringing, the phone started again. “No, no, no.” He wanted to whine, to moan, to cry. His cock ached to be inside her. Every time she blew him, every time he jerked off in the middle of the night, it swelled that aching need.  
“It’s alright.” She brushed his hair from his face. “It’s alright. I’m not going anywhere. I won’t even get dressed. Ki flew home for the week. I’m here all alone.”  
He looked at her with pleading eyes. “Promise?”  
“I’ll even answer the door completely nude.”  
He swallowed then dropped his head on to her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Rue.” He finally answered the phone. “Martinsson.” His fingertips danced down her side, making her squirm. He leaned back as he listened to the other end. “I’ll be there as soon as I can. Thanks.”  
“Something wrong?”  
“Another crime scene. This one looks like it’s been there a day or two.” Magnus straightened himself up.  
Rue frowned, furrowing her brows. “You hate this part of your job.”  
“Doesn’t every cop?”  
Again, she brushed his hair out of his face and made him look at her. “Don’t let it eat you, Mags.” She grinned playfully then. “That’s my job.”  
He smiled and kissed her. “And you’re so good at it.” He looked deeply into her eyes, holding her jaw in the palm of his hand. His thumb caressed her cheek then her bottom lip. “Whether or not we continue, I’m coming back. I need you in my arms tonight.”  
She bit her lip and nodded. “I’ll have coffee waiting. Just let me know when you’re on your way.”   
Magnus pulled his shirt on and waited for her to pull on hers so she could walk him to the door. He kissed her, wishing on every star in the sky that he could stay with her. “I’ll see you soon.” She nodded, closing the door behind him.  
Rue retrieved her jeans from the floor, stepping into her panties first then her jeans. Her phone rang from the back pocket. She didn’t recognize the number, but that was becoming an increasing regularity as her work became more in demand.  
“Hello?”  
“Is this Rue?”  
“It is.”  
“Rue, this is Xing, Ki’s fiancé.”  
“Oh hey! Did she make it ok?”  
“No.”  
“No? What do you mean ‘no’? Is she ok?” Rue tucked her hair behind her ear, swallowing that instant worry. Maybe she just missed her flight and had to take a later one.  
“That’s why I’m calling. She never boarded her plane.”  
“That’s ridiculous. I saw her get in the cab. She left two days ago, Xing.”  
Xing sighed on the other end of the phone. “Look, my hands are tied on this end. I’ve got a call into the Japanese Embassy and Interpol. Ki said you were dating a detective. Can you check into this for me? I’m really worried. She’s always called when she missed her flight and had to switch.”  
“Of course, no problem. I’ll let you know what I find out.”  
“Thank you, Rue.”  
Rue dropped to the couch and turned on the TV, muting the volume before calling Magnus. “Hey baby, something wrong?”  
“Uh yeah, I hate to ask but Ki’s fiancé just called.”  
“Ok and?” She smirked at his snark. He could be such a bitch sometimes.  
“She didn’t arrive in Japan. He said she never made her flight. But I saw her leave in the cab for the airport.”  
“You want me to check into it.” She smiled. He didn’t say it as a question; it was a statement.  
“If you would.” She plucked at her tee shirt. “I’ll make it worth your while.”  
She could practically hear him grinning. “Oh really? Then I guess I have to.”  
“Thanks, baby.”  
“I’ll see you soon.” They hung up at the same time. Magnus looked at his phone. He’d make a few calls in the morning. Priorities dictated processing the crime scene then getting back to Rue. Checking up on a roommate who likely just missed her flight and forgot to call her fiancé wasn’t one of those priorities. Thunder rolled through the night sky as he climbed out of the car. They’d be working against nature on this one.


	7. Chapter 7

Magnus rolled over and reached for Rue. Her side of the bed was empty but still warm. He propped himself up on his elbows and looked around the room. She sat in the chair next to the window, looking at the lightening horizon.  
“Baby?”  
She didn’t look at him. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? All those colors and shades, combining to make this perfect, single, finite moment and then it’s gone. It’s never the same sunrise. There’s always something different.”  
Magnus yawned and scratched his stomach as he slid out of the bed. “Scoot.” He sat in the chair behind her and wrapped his arms around her. The afghan, warmed by her body, lent some warmth to his bare torso. She leaned back into him, but her eyes never left the sunrise.  
“I won a contest when I was sixteen. The subject was nature. And I set up my camera to take a shot every day of this tree in our backyard. I made a bigger picture of the tree from a collage of all those pictures.” Magnus rested his head against hers. “I used my winnings to cut the tree down.”  
He raised up and looked at her. “Why?”  
She turned to him. “Why not?” She sighed. “So you’re sure it’s Ki?”  
“I’m sure. I’m sorry, Rue.” His thumb rubbed along her jaw. “Were you two close?”  
“No... Am I in danger?”  
Magnus looked into her eyes. “Not with me here.”  
“So what? You’re going to move in until you catch the killer?”  
He smiled sleepily. “If that’s what you want. Or you can stay a few days at my place then I’ll get you a uniform to keep watch across the street.”  
“You sure you want someone from your work watching my house? They might see that peachy ass of yours.”  
“Peachy, eh?”  
“It’s my favorite fruit.” He squeezed her tightly. She leaned up and snapped her teeth playfully at him. “What does this guy want, Mags?”  
“I don’t know, baby. To make a name for himself?”  
“Then why pick 4 relatively unknown photographers to copy? I mean, I’m a nobody.”  
“No, you’re not.” He reached up to brush the hair from her eyes. “You’re Rue Monroe, American photographer who gets drunk and sings karaoke and messes around with a detective.”  
“Messes around?”  
“I’d have said fucking but out of the three fuckable orifices on your delectable body, I’ve only been in this one.” He tugged on the corner of her mouth.  
She hummed. “But we both like it in that fuckable orifice.”  
“We do.” He grinned. “I’d like to feel these lips around my cock at some point.” His hand trailed down her belly and under the blanket to rub and pinch her pussy lips through her panties.  
“You will.” She sighed and settled back into him. He slid his fingers in the side of her panties and lightly teased his fingers over the short tuft of hair on the edge of her labia. “What time do you have to be at the station?”  
“I emailed the chief to tell her I would be in this afternoon since I was late last night.”  
Rue stood from the chair, forcing him to pull out his hand. She dropped the afghan to the floor then pulled her tee shirt cross-body over her head then slipped out of the panties. Magnus shifted in the chair and opened his legs. He watched her as she knelt between them and pulled his semi-hard cock from his boxers. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back, letting his mouth fall open as she stroked and sucked his cock until it he was fully hard.  
He lifted his hips for her to pull his boxers off. She left him for a moment to pull a condom from the bedside table then handed it to him in the wrapper. He rolled the latex down his staff, stroking to smooth it in place. Rue tucked her hair behind her ears then turned around, bracing her feet on the outside of his. He reached up to grab her hips and ease her down.  
Rue closed her eyes. Shit… Her spine arched as he bottomed out. The head of his cock pushed against her cervix. He must have been told he was too big before because he wrapped his arms around her belly and kissed her spine between her shoulder blades. “Are you ok?”  
She breathed out slowly, her body stretching around him. “Yes…” She rested her hands on the chair between their legs and began a slow up and down. He closed his eyes and relaxed back in the chair, letting his hands fall to the arm rests. He let her have control, but he braced his feet on the floor, tightening his legs to keep from cumming too soon.  
The sun broke over the horizon, bathing her back in a warm glow. Magnus ran his palms over her smooth skin then over her ribs to hold her breasts. He pressed his face into her hair, scrunching up the closer he got. Her bounce became faster. As if they had the same thought, his hand and her hand went to her clit, rubbing rapidly.  
“I can’t hold out.”  
“I’m almost there.” She gasped, right on the edge. Her body shuddered finally as the orgasm rolled through her like hot lead. He grunted his release, his thighs trembling. They fell back in the chair, panting. Magnus turned her face so he could kiss her. Against his better judgment, almost in spite of himself, feelings for her began to seed. The crazy American with her rainbow hair and tattoos had managed to make him care about something other than himself and his job.

The chief looked up from her desk. She sighed and removed her glasses. “You’re late.”  
Magnus pursed his lips together. “I overslept.”  
The chief glanced at the wall clock. “It’s four o’clock in the afternoon, Magnus.”  
“I didn’t leave here until after four in the morning. I need sleep if I’m to be able to think clearly.” The chief looked down at the papers on her desk. She knew he was right. It was something that always bothered her about Wallander and she was thankful that Magnus wasn’t the same.  
“Alright, have you got anything new on the case?”  
“Ki’s family is flying in tomorrow. They booked the earliest flight they could get.”  
“And your girlfriend?”  
“She’s upset. It was her flat mate. I’d like to have a unit assigned to her and the other two photographers in her program. This guy is copying their shoots and has now not just taken Ki but killed her rather savagely.”  
“And Ki was the Japanese girl.”  
“Yes, the one who liked to mix modernism with Feudal Japan. She was the one the killer copied the most.”  
“Have you spoken with this Alexander fellow?”  
“Not yet. He’s been in and out of the country the last month.”  
“Is he a suspect?”  
“Could be.”  
“And these other photographers? Are they suspects?”  
“Not yet.”  
“Magnus, this American girl…”  
He sighed. “I knew this was coming.”  
“Did you?”  
He frowned, his nostrils flared and his brows furrowed. “Yea, I did. And I warned Rue. She’s not a suspect yet.”  
“Why’s that?” He couldn’t give a valid reason. “That’s what I thought. I’m pulling you from the case. I’ll have Kurt and Ann Brit take over.”  
“What! That’s ridiculous! I’ve put in too much work for you to take this case from me.”  
“Magnus, the bodies are piling up. We’re having a helluva time staying ahead of the papers on this thing. And you’re fucking a witness who could be a suspect!”  
“Please, chief. Give me a little more time.”  
“Fine. But if you don’t show me something soon, I’m pulling you. Got it?”  
“Got it.” Magnus shut the door harder than he wanted to. The morning’s euphoria was obliterated. He sat down at his desk and began going through the files. His phone vibrated from his pants pocket. “Martinsson.”  
“Hey, baby. Want me to bring you by dinner?”  
“That’d be great.” He tossed his pen on the desk and leaned back in his chair. He could practically see her smiling as she yelled ‘yay’ on the other end of the line.  
“Ice cream for dessert?”  
He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat as he remembered their last late night in the station together. “As much as I’d like that, I can’t tonight. I’ve got too much work to do.”  
“Aw, ok.” He could see her pouting in his head and he hated the disappointed sigh in her voice. “I’ll still bring you dinner.”  
“Hey Rue, do you think you can get me into see Alexander? I’ve been hitting a brick wall with your magazine.”  
“Sure, no problem. Lunch date?”  
“Uh, sure.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “And I’ll give you fair warning, I have to interview you. And Jools and the other fellow.”  
“Paolo?”  
“Yes, I need to rule you out as suspects."  
Rue laughed. "Suspects? You can't be serious." He didn't answer, only frowned at the ceiling. "Oh. You are serious."  
"Rue, it's nothing personal. It's part of the job."  
"Yea, ok...it just feels really personal when your boyfriend tells you he thinks you're capable of killing someone."  
"Rue, baby, don't be like that."  
"What am I supposed to be like? Do you really think I could have killed all those people, Magnus?"  
He sighed. "No, Rue, I don't. But it's part of my job. You were Ki's coworker and roommate. You and your friends' photo shoots have been copied. It's procedure and I'd be a horrible detective if I didn't."  
"Yea, ok."  
"You said that before. Are you really ok? I really need you to understand this."  
"I understand, Mags. It just hurts a little."  
He squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose. Shit. "After the interview, I'll make it up to you. I promise."  
"It better be good."  
"It will be. I promise." He wanted to kiss her and hold her and make the hurt he'd caused go away. "I'll see you later?"  
"Yea, I'm not going to alienate you because you have to do your job. Round 7?"  
"That's great. I'll need a break." They hung up and he was practically kicking his own ass for bringing it up on the phone.


	8. Chapter 8

The waiter brought their orders and took their glasses to be refilled. Conversation stopped during the interruption. Rue cast a glance at the Magnus. He seemed nervous. Rightly so, Alex Vanlauden was a self-made millionaire. He’d worked his way up in the magazine from the mail room to CEO then he’d bought the magazine. Alex then revamped it from just another finance magazine that dabbled in politics to a photography magazine that showcased humanitarian issues.  
Alex sipped his wine then put on his best smile. “I’m pleased to see the Ystad police force is taking this matter seriously.”  
“I assure you, Mr. Vanlauden, we take every death seriously. I’ve been trying to get a meeting with you for almost a month before Ki’s disappearance and death.”  
Alex’s utensils stilled on his plate. Rue stilled next to Magnus and rested her hand on his knee. “I get the feeling you’re implying something, Detective Martinsson. Perhaps that I’m responsible for these atrocities, or at the very least, negligently to blame.”  
Magnus chewed his mouthful carefully, deciding what exactly to say, before he wiped his mouth and met the arrogant Aryan with his own empty, indifferent gaze. “You imply my fellow detectives and I don’t take death seriously and I’m supposed to look at you and smile. Yet, I’ve tried to get a hold of you for a month while a vicious psychotic is running around our city copying photo shoots from YOUR select stable of photographers, up to and including, kidnapping and killing one of them. Am I implying you’re responsible? No. Am I implying your negligence in being cooperative in the investigation is to blame for its increasing escalation? No, Mr. Vanlauden, I’m not implying it. I’m stating it as fact.”  
“Magus.”  
“Not now, Rue. I asked Rue to get a meeting with you because you’ve been uncooperative up to this point with the exception of sending the complete portfolios of your employees, which I am grateful for. But there are delicate questions that a restaurant setting is inappropriate for.”  
“Like what, detective?”  
“Your alibi for the night of Ki’s disappearance, as well as your whereabouts for the two days she was missing along with the dates and times of all the other deaths in this investigation.”  
“Am I a suspect, detective?”  
Rue sucked in a breath, squeezing Magnus’s knee. He dropped his hand casually and wrapped his fingers around her hand to reassure her. “Not yet, Mr. Vanlauden. But we have to establish alibies for you, Rue, Jools and Paolo. Once that is done, I’ll be able to give you a better answer to that question.”  
“Surely, you don’t think I’m or Ms. Monroe is capable of these heinous killings.”  
“Magnus, you don’t have to answer that.”  
“I don’t believe Rue had anything to do with these deaths. But I don’t know anything about you. And it’s been my experience that rich men believe themselves above the law and are quite capable of anything, Mr. Vanlauden.”  
Alex smiled bright and broad. “I seem to have underestimated you, Detective Martinsson. Call my office on Monday and my assistant will provide you with my whereabouts.”  
“And what about when you’re not working?”  
Alex grinned again. “Oh she’ll know that as well because I’m fucking her six ways from Sunday.”  
Rue choked on her wine and covered her mouth. “So that’s why Rosily is in such good humor.”  
Alex laughed and looked at his watch. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got an afternoon meeting in about 20 minutes. Have the check put on my account.” Alex stood and kissed Rue’s cheek. “I’ll see you back at the studio, Rue.”  
“Yes, Alex.”  
“Detective, it’s been refreshing.” The men shook hands before the white blonde beanpole sashayed his way out of the restaurant, grabbing the attention of those he passed.

Their heavy breathing and grunting echoed in the dark bedroom. They both had a white knuckle grip on the headboard. His slow, deep stroke took her breath away each time he bumped her cervix. He’d made her cum, crying and shaking, too many times to count.  
He broke eye contact to dip his head and take her lips again. Their mouths fit together, sharing each exhale. His hands covered hers then pulled them off the headboard, locking their fingers together. He pinned her hands to either side of her head. He needed to her to cum one last time before he let loose the rapidly unraveling threads of his control.  
He shifted his weight on his knees, changing the angle of his thrust. The head of his cock brushed her sweet spot just right and pushed her over the edge again. She whimpered, high pitched and breathless. His hips stopped trembling and stuttered out his orgasm. The relief of pressure made him collapse on top of her.  
Each minor movement made them hiss with their over-sensitivity, but neither wanted to shatter the afterglow. Hands roamed arms and sides. Toes caressed legs and buttocks. Magnus pushed himself up onto his arms. He looked into her eyes then made the decision.  
“I can’t be the only one that feels this. Tell me you feel it too.”  
“Like we’ve found what we’ve always been searching for in every fuck we’ve ever had.”  
“Yes.”  
“Like you and I fit so naturally that it’s eerie and perfect and utterly terrifying that this could be love, but we can’t say anything because we’ve only been dating for a few months, and declaring love would be ridiculous so this isn’t love, right?”  
Magnus grinned. “That was a horrible run on sentence, darling. Yes and yes.” He dropped to his elbows and caressed her face, pushing back her hair. “But this is love, isn’t it?”  
“Oh I’m quite sure it is.”  
“So what do we do?” Magnus pushed himself up with an uncomfortable look then tossed the condom into the trash. Rue tackled him back to the mattress. He huffed out air and laughed.  
“What do we do, detective?” Her lips and fingertips traced circles over his pectorals and his hard nipples.  
“This…” He closed his eyes and shifted on the bed, enjoying the warm feel of her lips and tongue and the scrape of her nails. His hands found her soft tresses and combed through them. He sucked in a breath as her hand wrapped around his flaccid, ultra-sensitive cock. That’s when he noticed her southern direction. Her kisses and nibbles had dropped to his belly. “Rue…” She hummed in question and looked up at him as she shifted between his legs. “My god, you’re beautiful.” She smiled and it damn near broke his heart. He sat up and kissed her, feasting on her lips before pulling her back. “Move in with me.”  
Rue laughed and sat back on her knees. “Magnus, I can’t.”  
“Why not?”  
“Well, the magazine owns the house so it’s rent free as long as I’m employed there. And I’m here on a work visa. I don’t know the process of changing my place of residence.”  
He caressed her cheek with the backs of his fingers. “I’m worried about you. Alone in this big house. I can’t protect you if you’re not with me.”  
“Then move in here.”  
“What happens when you’re done with the magazine?”  
“Let’s worry about that when the time comes, alright?”  
“Alright.” He sighed and smiled. “Alright, I’ll move in here. But only temporarily.”  
“If that’s what you want.”  
“What do you want?” He tipped her chin up again, so she’d look him in the face. She seemed afraid to ask him, afraid to tell him what she really wanted. He wanted to find whoever had done that to her, whoever rooted that indecisive fear of rejection in her and beat them to death. He cupped her face. “Tell me what you want, Rue baby. I don’t care what it is. Just tell me.”  
She swallowed. The confident girl from the bar wavered. This was why she had actively avoided relationships for a long time. He made her feel vulnerable. But in the time they’d spent together, he’d never made her feel like that vulnerability was weakness.  
“Rue?”  
“I want you to move in here.”  
“See? Now was that so hard?”  
“A little bit.” She wrapped her fingers around his hands and pulled them down, just holding them in their lap. “I like waking up with you here. I like falling asleep wrapped in your arms whether or not we have sex. I like being quasi-domestic with you.” She shrugged. “It reminds me of my parents’ dynamic before my mom died.”  
“I’m sorry.”  
She shrugged and looked down at the floor. “I really didn’t mean to turn this into an emotional moment.”  
He smiled and turned her face back to his with their joined hands. “It’s fine. I want to know everything about you, even the ‘emotional moments’.” He drew her to lie down on her side and wrapped his arms around her then momentarily pulled away to cover them with the blankets before snuggling up to her tightly.  
Rue smiled at his tenderness and melted back against him. She could feel the smile on his face, pressed against her hair. “How have you not been snatched up by now?”  
He shrugged, making her shrug too. “Most of the women I dated couldn’t handle the weird hours, interrupted dates and functions, the risk and stress inherent to my job. You’ve been a pleasant and most welcome surprise.”  
Rue nuzzled her cheek on his muscular upper arm. “My dad’s a firefighter. I’m used to weird hours and interruptions. And as a photographer, I’m not a stranger to them either.”  
His thumb caressed her sternum under her breasts. “What did your mum do?”  
“She was a painter. A free spirited artist. She was born in the 70s so she missed all the free love of the 60s but my grandma was an artist as well.”  
“Anything I would know?”  
Rue smiled and kissed the inside of his elbow. “No, they both stayed at home and took care of their families. My mom wasn’t domestic. At all. She couldn’t cook and cleaning wasn’t her strong suit. My dad loved her so much though. He’d come home from work and teach my brother and I how to cook. He made games of household chores. It just worked.”  
“How did she die?”  
“Brain aneurysm. My brother and I went to get her for dinner one night and we thought she was asleep.”  
“I’m sorry, baby.”  
“Don’t be.” She nestled back into him. “She died surrounded by what she loved, and likely to the sound of my brother and father and I dancing and laughing as we made dinner together.”  
“It sounds like a wonderful way to go.”  
Rue closed her eyes. “What about your parents?”  
“My dad’s a fisherman and my mum’s a school teacher.”  
“Did your dad ever take you fishing?”  
“We used to go all the time. Him, my brothers and I. Now we go once a month. It’s really all our schedules can handle.” He kissed her shoulder. “You should come with us next time.”  
Rue laughed. “That’s probably not a good idea.”  
“Why’s that?”  
“My father took my brother and I fishing every summer, two or three times. We never caught anything. I’d get bored then we’d wind up jumping off the boat and going swimming.”  
“We never catch anything either, but I think the water is a tad too cold to go swimming.”  
Rue scoffed. “You can always go swimming. Just don’t stay in the water long enough to get hypothermia.”  
“That settles it. You’re going with us next time.”  
She rolled over and wrapped her leg around his thigh. “You want me to meet your family?”  
He blinked, caught off guard but when he thought about it, he couldn’t think of any reason not to. “Well, yea. I love you. I don’t see why they wouldn’t.”  
“Meeting the family is a pretty big step in a relationship, Mags.”  
“I know.” He trailed his fingers down her spine and palmed her ass, pulling her lush body against his. The heat coming off her pussy made his cock twitch. “We’re moving in together. That’s a pretty big step too.”  
“I see your point.” She rested her head on his chest, sighing in his arms. “You don’t think this is moving too fast?”  
He looked off into the darkness of the room. “I think with any other girl, I might have said yes.”  
“Then why not with me?”  
Magnus leaned back until she looked up at him. “Because it’s you.” Rue pushed up and kissed him. He lifted her leg higher until he had her open enough to enter. Their bodies pushed and rocked against each other until they came, her whimpering and him panting. They didn’t bother to move from each other to sleep. Nor did they seem to worry about their lack of a condom.


	9. Chapter 9

Rue fumbled with her keys and coffee, blowing a hair out of her face as she attempted to keep her cellphone from falling from between her shoulder and ear. Magnus beeped the horn from the curb and she waved him on. He waited until she was inside, none the less. The first few days after he moved in with her, he’d not only driven her to work but had walked her to the door. Now, he waited in the car until she got inside then she’d text him when she got up to the studio.  
She disappeared inside the building, locking the door from the inside. When the receptionist got there for the day, she’d unlock it and leave it open. Rue and every other photographer with the early shoot locked it behind them. She ascended the elevator, cussing Jools up one side and down the other. He was supposed to be here. This was a team shoot.  
The elevator dinged then opened to loud music. “Jools!” No answer. She wasn’t surprised with as loud as the music was. If he’d heard her shout, it would have been a miracle. Every light in the studio was on. “Jools! Turn it down! It’s too early for pop music.”  
Rue dropped her purse onto her desk and took a sip of her coffee. She pulled out her phone to text Magnus as she rounded the corner. “Jools!” She froze as she looked up. The phone slipped from her fingers mid-text. It emergency dialed Magnus as the scream slipped from her lips.  
Magnus turned off the ignition and opened the driver’s side door. It’d been over five minutes. She’d usually messaged him by now. His phone rang as he jogged up the steps. “Rue, baby, you had me-“ Her distant scream chilled his blood. He looked up at the building and jerked on the door. “Rue!” She’d locked it again. Dammit! Her screaming stopped. “Fuck!”  
He jerked on the door again then looked around. A planter sat to the side of the door. He huffed as he picked it up and threw it through the plate glass door. It shattered. An alarm began to sound. He stepped through the door frame and ran for the elevator that was descending.  
Rue shot out the doors as the opened. “Magnus!” He caught her by the arms.  
“What is it, baby? What’s wrong?” He pulled her back. “Are you hurt?” She didn’t look hurt but she looked stricken and white.  
“It’s Jools!” She trembled in his arms. “Oh Magnus, it’s awful.” She pressed her face into his chest.  
Magnus held her tightly. His heart pounded. The rush of adrenaline made him slightly sick. He couldn’t put words to the sick feeling in his heart when he’d heard her scream. He kissed her head. “Show me.”  
“I can’t. I can’t go back in there.”  
“I’m not asking you too. Just take me up there and point me in the direction. Then I want you to sit at your desk.” Sirens pulled up outside. Magnus frowned; he hadn’t called anything in yet. Then it dawned on him. The glass. He’d set off the alarm. He reached into his pocket and had his shield ready when the uniforms came through the broken glass door.  
“Put your hands where we can see them.”  
“Do as they say, baby.” Rue reluctantly let him go and turned around and raised her hands above her head.  
“Step away from the gentleman, miss.”  
“Oh do I have to?” Rue began to tremble, fresh tears springing to her eyes.  
“Officers, I’m Detective Magnus Martinsson. This is Rue Monroe. She’s an employee of Alex Vanlauden’s. There’s been a murder upstairs.”  
The officer took Magnus’s shield from his outstretched hand, weapon drawn. “Neither of you move while we call this in.” The second, third and fourth officer kept their weapons drawn while the first turned away and radioed into the station.  
“I’m gonna be sick.”  
“It’s ok, Rue.”  
“No really, I’m gonna puke, Mags.”   
The first officer joined the group just as Rue bent forward, braced her hands on her knees and threw up. A sound of disgust rippled through the officers.  
“It checks out. Detective.” He handed back the shield, careful to avoid the vomit. Magnus shoved the shield into his back pocket and helped Rue stand up.  
“Are you ok?” She nodded. “Let’s get you cleaned up. Is there a bathroom close by?” She pointed to the public multi-seater. “Come on.” She laid her head on his chest as he turned her away. “Officers, there’s at least one victim on the 5th floor.”  
“There’s 3.” She squeaked.”  
“Three victims, can you call it in?”  
“Yes, detective.”  
“Tell them I’m on scene and have them send Ann Brit.”  
“Yes, detective.”  
The officers ascended the elevator, and Magnus and Rue headed to the bathroom. He flicked on the light. She leaned against the sink counter until he lifted her up and set her on it. He ran cool water to wipe her face off then had her rinse her mouth.  
“Are you alright?”  
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Numb, I guess.”  
“I’ll take you home after we process the scene.” She nodded. “When does the receptionist get here?”  
“About an hour.”  
“You might want to call Alex.” Again, she nodded. “Hey, talk to me.”  
She looked at him with teary eyes. “I’ve seen dead bodies. I’ve photographed horrible atrocities. But that…that was my friend.” Her voice cracked and she fell into sobs. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead. She felt small and fragile in his arms. He wanted to protect her. He wanted to make this pain go away. The only way that could happen was if he caught the killer.  
Magnus leaned back. “Rue baby, I want you to go wait with one of the officers. Call Alex. Tell him what happened. Not in any detail. I just don’t want him or any of your coworkers walking in blind.” She nodded. “You’ll come to the station with me.” She nodded again, wiping her eyes.  
“What about Paolo?”  
“We’ll have him brought in to protective custody.” She nodded. He tipped her chin up and stared at her intently. “Listen, I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” He kissed her. Rue closed her eyes so that her tears ran down her cheeks. “But I don’t want you going back up there. I’ll have your phone and purse sent down with an officer.”  
“Ok.”  
“I love you, Rue.”  
“I love you too, Mags.”

After calling Alex, Rue sat in the passenger seat of a squad car, talking to the officer. Three hours later, she and Magnus were at the station. She’d pulled up her laptop and was editing photos while he poured over the case.  
The uniforms sent to pick up Paolo entered the squad room. Magnus turned in his chair. “So tell me everything.” He gestured for the young men to sit down. Rue pretended not to listen. She had her ear buds in but the music was off.  
“When we arrived at the subject’s flat, the door was ajar. We announced ourselves and entered. The place had been ransacked and it looked like someone left in a hurry. The subject’s car wasn’t there. Nor was he. There appeared to be blood in the kitchen sink and on the kitchen floor.”  
“Alright, put out an APB on him and the car. Send a car round to the bus station, the train station and the airport. Then send a car to this address.” He scribbled Rue’s address on a piece of paper and handed it to the officer.  
“Yes, sir.”   
Magnus raked his hands through his hair then looked at Rue. She seemed to be thinking about something. He assumed she was concentrating on her editing. He pushed himself up to stand and stretched. He needed a beer.  
He tapped her shoulder. Rue pulled the ear buds out and looked up at him. He raised an eyebrow at the lack of sound coming out of them. “Let’s get out of here. Go for a beer and a bite to eat?”  
“Sounds good since we skipped lunch and I had your cock for breakfast.”  
Magnus barked out laughing then he leaned down and nuzzled her ear. “You must be starving then.” She shivered. “I’ll make sure you’re stuffed.” She swallowed down the need that dropped in her belly.  
“Ok, let’s go.” Rue closed her laptop roughly and dropped her feet to the floor. Magnus grinned as she grabbed her bag. He gave her ass a good, hard swat as she walked ahead of him. Before they reached the doorway, she spun around and shoved him up against the wall. Her mouth crashed to his and her hand went straight to his groin.  
He gasped, kissing her back but trying to speak. “Rue-“ He groaned as she rubbed and squeezed until he came to life. “-don’t make it too obvious.” She laughed and let him go, too late for him to be decent. He grumbled and adjusted himself, walking close behind her.  
They kept up the teasing and taunting all through dinner. He had a white knuckle grip on the steering wheel as he drove home. He clenched his jaw, clamping down on a moan. Rue’s tongue did wonderful things and he had trouble concentrating on the road. She moaned against his cock. He reached down grabbed her hair loosely.  
“Ah god, Rue.” The car sped up as he lifted his hips, pushing his foot on the gas. “Oh yes.” He breathed heavily. At the stop light, he let his head drop back against the head rest. Her mouth stroked his hard cock slowly, relentlessly. The car behind them laid on the horn.  
Rue pulled his cock free. “You better drive.” She stroked him, licking the tip like a lollipop as he drove the last few blocks to the house. He pulled into the driveway and slammed it into park. She squeaked as his seat ratcheted back.  
“Come here, you.” She went willingly to his urging, straddling his lap. She was thankful she’d worn a skirt today but regretted wearing the panties. Magnus slipped his fingers between the damp fabric and her hot pussy lips. He kissed her sloppily as he fumbled with his cock and the panties.  
“Mags…there’s a cop car parked across the road.”  
“Yes.”  
“Do you really want your fellow officers to see you fuck me in the front seat of your car?”  
“I don’t honestly give a damn.” He kissed her throat and began to tug the neck line of her sweater down.  
Rue laughed, going breathless as he stroked her clit with his thumb. “Take me inside. I don’t want them seeing my tits.”  
Magnus lay back as she opened the driver’s side door. Rue climbed out then bent over him to grab her purse and laptop from the passenger side floorboard. She ignored the fact that her skirt was up and her panties were still pulled to the side, giving the pair of uniforms assigned to the house a bit of a show. If they could see that far.  
Magnus tucked himself into his jeans as best he could. He pulled her skirt down as he walked slightly behind her, his arm wrapped around her hip so that his fingers caressed her thigh under the skirt. She dropped her purse and the laptop on the table. His valise joined them.  
Rue pulled up short and Magnus practically bowled her over. “Paolo?”  
“Shhh…” He brought the gun to his lips. “You don’t speak, Rue. I want to speak to the policeman.”  
“I’m right here. Just put the gun down.”  
“Oh no, this is staying right here.” Paolo motioned to the couch. “You two sit.”  
“Paolo, what’s going on?”  
“They think I did this thing to Ki and Jools. I saw the police in my apartment. Come to arrest me.”  
“No, to bring you in for your own safety. Rue spent the day at the station with me. She hasn’t left my sight.”  
“That is a good thing. You keep Rue safe. But you see, there’s no hope for me.”  
“What do you mean, Paolo?”  
He sat in the chair, tears in his eyes. “I stayed late at the studio last night. Getting props ready for my shoot today. I saw Jools arrive. One of the models with Jools was a girl I’d been messing around with.”  
“Abigail.”  
He nodded. “My wife will find out. She’ll leave me and take our children to her mother’s in Mallorca.” He shook his head. “I cornered Abigail in the dressing room. We fucked. Jools became angry. I left. When I came to work, there were policia everywhere. I knew something horrible had happened. I’m not stupid. I called Alex and he told me what had happened. My fingerprints all over the scene, my DNA in one of the victims, being on the security cameras with them. I am caught for this even though I did not do it. So I go home. My apartment…it was trashed. I grabbed what I could.”  
“The blood in the kitchen?”  
“I needed a drink. I was choking. I dropped the glass and it broke.” He held up his cut hand. “I hear the policia so I use the fire escape. I come here because I trust Rue. Then I see the car across the street and I remember her boyfriend is policia.”  
“I don’t understand what you want, Paolo.”  
“I want you to know I did not do this. Ki, Jools, Abigal and Sveta. And I ask you to keep Rue safe.” Before Rue or Magnus could react, Paolo brought the gun to his head and pulled the trigger. Rue screamed. Magnus pulled her against him and shielded her against what amounted to nothing. She had seen everything by the time Magnus covered her face. The officers from across the road busted in the front door. Their presence was pointless except to call it in.


	10. Chapter 10

The chief took Magnus off the case. He was too close to it. Though Magnus raged, he knew she was right. So he put in for some much needed time off. That time off found him sat down in front of the television, channel surfing on mute.  
Rue flipped off the light in the kitchen. “I’m going to bed.”  
“Night, baby, I’ll be there in a minute.” He glanced over the back of the couch to see her pulling her tee shirt over her head. She tossed it at his head. He caught it just as it hit and snapped it out of the way. Her bare feet made no sound as she padded across the foyer and up the carpeted stairs. He flicked off the TV and tossed her shirt onto the couch. His own joined it with a backhanded fling as he gave chase up the stairs.  
Rue laughed and ran the rest of the way up the stairs. He crashed into her, ravaging her mouth. They fell onto the bed on their sides. His hands couldn’t decide if they wanted to knead her breasts or ass and kept moving between the two. She reached between them and grabbed his semi-hard cock.  
He rolled her onto her back and began to kiss from her neck down, tracing the lines of the tattoo on her chest. Her phone took that moment to ring. It was the ringtone for Alex.  
“It’s Alex.”  
“Answer it but make it quick.”  
He drew his tongue up the underside curve of her breast. “Hey, Alex, everything ok?” Magnus looked up at her then bit her nipple lightly. She squeaked.  
“Everything’s fine. I was wondering if you could come by the studio.”  
Magnus sucked on her nipple, slipping his hand into her panties. She sighed, not bothering to hide what he was doing. “I can’t, Alex. I’m in bed.”  
Magnus heard a deep chuckle on the other line. “I guess fucking your detective takes precedence.”  
“At 11:30 at night, it does.” Magnus drew her panties down her legs and raised an eyebrow. She raised her foot and pushed her toes into his growing cock. He pressed forward into her foot then opened her legs.  
“Not too long ago-“  
“Alex, I don’t want to talk about that right now.” She watched Magnus slip the boxers off then nestle between her thighs.  
Alex sighed on the other end of the line. “Fine, Rue. But can I ask you a favor?”  
“What’s that, Alex?” Rue shifted as Magnus kissed up her thigh, brushing his teeth along the bend of her leg. She sighed again.  
Alex’s tone had shifted deeper when he spoke. “Don’t hang up.” Rue glanced at Magnus.  
“I have to.”  
“Please, Rue.”  
“Alex-“  
“Please, Rue.”  
“Bye, Alex.” Rue hit the button on the side of her phone.  
“What did he want?”  
“He wanted me to come by the studio.”  
“Is that a common thing?” Magnus settled on his knees.  
“It used to be. I used to work later. A lot. Sometimes, I’d sleep in the studio.”  
“What changed?”  
Rue reached up and brushed the hair from his face. “I met a curly-haired blonde detective who fucks me like a freight train.”  
“Well, thank god for that.”  
“Thank go- Ah! Oh god!” Magnus pulled her down onto his cock. He pulled her up to sit astride him, drawing another shout from her as his cock pushed deeper into her. He pressed his face into her suprasternal notch. His fingers dug into her ass as he moved her up and down. Her toes finally found purchase on the bed.  
Their groans and cries filled the moonlit bedroom. Magnus rolled onto his back so that he could watch her face in the moonlight as she came undone. His hands found her breasts, holding onto them as she rode him. Rue tucked her feet under his thighs and braced her hands upon them, digging the tips into his hard muscles.  
“Oh god, Rue.”  
“Yes, baby.” His back arched off the bed then his hips pushed up. She felt his cock pulse inside her. She started to climb off but he held her hips.  
“Don’t stop. I want to feel you cum on me.” He licked his thumb and rubbed it up and down her clit. His cock stayed semi-hard, each of her movements pulling a hiss from him. He couldn’t take this much longer; he’d have to pull out before it became painful. He watched her face scrunch up then she let her head drop back as she fucked herself on his cock.  
When her keening stopped, he flipped her onto her back and propped himself over her. He stared at her flushed face. Her breasts pushed against him with her panting breath. She smiled up at him. “I love you, Mags.”  
His thoughtful face broke into a bright smile. “I love you, Rue.” Neither of them saw her phone light up as Alex hung up. They were too busy kissing each other again.


	11. Chapter 11

Magnus’s knee fidgeted up and down with nervous energy. He glanced at the clock then at the closed door of the magistrate’s office. He clasped his hands together then pressed the knuckles to his thin pale lips. They were running out of time, but they had everything to bring him, everything they needed to convict.  
Wallander and Ann Brit were behind that door with the chief presenting their case. Since he’d been officially taken off the case, he was relegated to this purgatory of the receptionist’s office. The door opened and he popped up.  
“Thank you, sir. The department thanks you for your speedy decision.”  
The door closed behind Ann Britt and Wallander. “Yes? And?”  
“He granted everything we’ve asked for. Apparently, one of his grandchildren went to university with one of the victims.”  
“Everything?”  
Ann Britt grinned. “Everything.”  
“And it’s all due to your tireless and meticulously detailed investigation. All Ann Britt and I did was sew up the loose ends.”  
Magnus pulled out his phone as the three of them hurried out to the waiting cars. “You’ve reached Rue. I can’t answer at the moment. Leave a message.”  
“Rue, this is Magnus. If you get this, I’m calling again in 5 minutes. Please pick up.”  
“Any answer?”  
“No, they were supposed to fly in today.”  
“You don’t think he’d hurt her, do you?”  
Magnus shook his head. “No, no, if anything, he’d hurt me.”  
“But that doesn’t follow his pattern.”  
“No, it doesn’t. But he altered his pattern when he killed Ki.”  
“So you think he’s-“  
“I think he’s finished with his game. He wants us to find him. He won’t hurt Rue. She’s his golden girl.”  
“Let’s hope you’re right.” Magnus swallowed. He hoped he was. He was betting his girlfriend’s-no, the love of his life’s life on being right. He was betting his hopes and dreams, his future, on being right.  
Ann Britt’s phone rang. Magnus listened to a clipped conversation on Ann Britt’s end. She ended the call. “They’re at the magazine.”  
“Right.” He whipped the car around the corner and sped off in the direction of the Vanlauden Tower.

The afternoon sunlight streamed through the blue tinted windows. It made Rue think of sunlight through water. She curled her knees up and laid her head on her arm, fighting sleep. She and Alex had been up for almost 48 hours and she’d about hit her limit.  
“Alex, please, I’m exhausted. Can’t we edit tomorrow?”  
“No, baby, we need to do this now.”  
“Alex, don’t call me ‘baby’. And I’m exhausted. Let’s go home and go to bed, and we’ll edit tomorrow with fresh eyes.”  
Alex smirked, leaning back in his chair, letting his knees fall open. “Perhaps, you are right.” He patted his left thigh. “Come sit on my lap.”  
“No, Alex.” She sighed, sitting up and dropping her feet to the floor. “Either you take me home or I’ll call Magnus to come pick me up.”  
Alex stood abruptly and crossed the room to her in quick strides. “If it wasn’t for him, you’d have sat on my lap. Hell, you’d have fucked me on the plane then blew me in the limo.” He grabbed her throat, making her squeak in surprise. He lifted her up to her knees on the couch by the hand at her throat. Rue had no choice. It was either move or be choked. “Listening to you cum that night made me so hard, Rue. Even now-” He placed her hand on his growing cock. He relished the touch of her hand, ignoring that it was forced. “Even now just thinking about it gets me hard. Your pretty breathless moans mixed with his. I could just picture your breasts bouncing while he fucked you.”  
“Alex, this ship has sailed.” She tightened her grip on his cock and began to twist. “Now, let me go and I won’t rip your dick off.”  
Alex continued to smirk. Despite the fire of her words, there was fear in her eyes. He licked his lips. He’d never known he found that attractive until this moment. Was it every woman? Or was it only Rue? “There’s my feisty girl. How about you come home with me and get in my bed for old time’s sake?”  
“No. Alex.” His brow furrowed, knitting together in confusion. He crushed his mouth to hers, forcing her lips and teeth open with his tongue. Rue bit down hard, blood spurted into his mouth. She tightened her grip on his hard cock, digging her nails in. The door flew open to a chorus of ‘You can’t go in there’. Magnus, Wallander and Ann Britt barged in with several officers in tow.  
Alex let Rue go, and she let go of him but didn’t move. Alex’s blood ran down her chin. She dropped her hand to hide the shaking. There’d been a moment there where she didn’t think he would have stopped. Magnus’s eye widened and he clamped down any hurt words that would have escaped him.  
“Alex Vanlauden, you’re under arrest.”  
Alex grinned, making a grisly visage with his bloody teeth. “Have fun, you two.” His cackling laugh echoed through the studio as he was escorted out in handcuffs.

Steam rose from the pair of coffee cups on the table. Neither of them had been touched. Magnus was leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest. His normally light eyes had darkened in his hurt and anger, but he’d promised to listen to what she had to say. That didn’t stop him from staring down his aristocratic nose at her, like he was known to do with suspects during interrogation.  
Rue’s hands curled around the cup, warming them. She still hadn’t slept yet. She ached with as tired as she was. But they both needed to explain themselves and she’d insisted on going first. She didn’t want to leave it until tomorrow. She couldn’t bear his anger in their bed. Yet, the thought of him sleeping anywhere else made her chest clench.  
That was the thought that started the tears. Magnus’s brow pinched. His arms loosened, unfurling to sweep her up in comfort. He caught himself and tightened them almost painfully.  
Rue sucked in a breath through her nose then breathed it out slowly. Her hand trembled when she brushed a loose hair from her face. The rainbow of colors had faded to a pastel tint over platinum blonde hair. Magnus flicked his gaze to her roots. She’d mentioned needing to get her hair done before she’d left for the Roman shoot with Alex.  
“I’d only been with the magazine 6 months when Alex started flirting with me. He began to show me preferential treatment above the other photographers. Ki and Paolo complained and it stopped.” She didn’t bother to look at him. “I was working late in the studio after my year anniversary with the company. Ki and Alex had just returned from a shoot in Dublin. Ki had gone back to the house, but Alex had come to the studio.”  
Rue twisted her hands. “He told me that he wasn’t going to lie and tell me he loved me. He just wanted to fuck. So we fucked.” She grabbed the cup again. “Neither of us had any illusions about what we were doing. Or so I thought.”  
“That’s what you meant by you used to work at the studio late a lot.” She nodded. “Were you fucking him while you were with me?”  
“No.” She shook her head. “A couple months before you and I met…I had a late period. It was a week. I did the responsible thing and told Alex. He told me to get rid of it. I told him to fuck off. Thankfully, the next day I started. But I was done with him.”  
“How many months?”  
Rue looked at her reflection in the darkened window. She could see Magnus’s staring at her hard, but she couldn’t meet his eyes just yet. “Three. Then I met you.” She looked at him then.  
He unfurled his arms and leaned forward. “And what about today? You had a handful of his dick.”  
“And he had a handful of my throat.” Rue pushed back the chair and stood. She didn’t want the coffee and she wasn’t going to drink it. She padded bare foot to the sink and dumped it. She needed a shower and bed to feel normal again. “He kept pushing and pushing and I refused him. He grabbed my throat so I grabbed his dick. He shoved his tongue down my throat so I bit him.” She kept her back to him, grabbing onto the edge of the sink. “Nothing happened, Mags. You have to believe me.”  
He laid his hands on her shoulders and made her jump. She hadn’t heard him get up from the table. “I believe you. I just wish you’d have told me before now.”  
“I didn’t think it mattered. Because he doesn’t matter.”  
Magnus leaned down and kissed her cheek. “It’s alright, Rue.” He urged her to turn around then tilted her chin up. Tears sporadically rained down her cheeks. “Don’t cry, baby.” He wrapped his arms around her shoulders tightly.  
She sniffed back her tears. “Did he really kill all those people, Mags?”  
“Yes, we have the evidence but he confessed.”  
“Was he going to kill me too?”  
“No.” He rubbed her back up and down. “In his own way, he loved you. He asked me what I had that he didn’t. He couldn’t understand why you’d pick a ‘poor cop’ over him, the self-made millionaire.”  
Rue leaned back and looked up at him. Magnus took the cue and looked down at her. “Because I never loved him. I love you. And I’d choose you a hundred times over him.” She reached up and cupped his face on both sides to kiss him.  
He kissed her back, building to a fever pitch. He lifted her onto the edge of the counter and lifted her shirt. His lips and teeth found her sternum, drawing breathless gasps. His hands covered the lacy cups of her bra then popped her breasts out of them. He licked, sucked and bit each nipple. Rue licked her lips.  
Magnus cupped her face like she’d done his and kissed her, plunging his tongue into her mouth. He reached up and pulled her back with handful of hair. “I love you, too.” He swallowed. He couldn’t decide how or where he wanted her. Making a quick decision, he pulled her down off the sink and pushed her against the island, facing away. “Put your hands on the counter and don’t move them until I tell you too.”  
Blush flared in Rue’s cheeks. He reached around and unbuttoned her jeans, drawing them and her panties down her legs. She stepped out for him. Then his tongue was fucking her, his fingers rubbing her clit firm and fast. She groaned and pressed her fingertips into the counter. He was rough and relentless. She came hard and fast. But he didn’t stop. His tongue drew a line from her cunt to her asshole. She gasped at the first brush of tongue. His fingers continued to play her clit like a song while he tongue fucked her ass. She squeaked higher and higher until he brought her off a second time.  
Rue pressed her flaming face to the cool counter top. The sound of Magnus’s zipper shot straight to her lower belly. She moved up onto her toes, lifting her ass for him. He smirked, catching the movement. He grabbed her leg and propped it on the counter. He held his cock in position then rammed forward as he pulled her back. She shouted at being so swiftly, completely full.  
Their grunts and groans joined the obscene wet sound of his cock pounding into her sopping cunt. His balls tapped her clit with each swing. He licked his thumb before pushing it into her anus. The pressure built in his legs and back, sweeping over him and tightening into a nearly painful knot.  
“Rub your clit, baby. Cum with me.” Rue reached back with both hands. One covered his hand on her hip; the other slipped underneath her and between her legs to rub her jutting clit. He released her hip to grab onto her shoulder.  
His angle changed, pushing the head of his cock over and over her sweet spot. “Oh fuck! Magnus!” Her fingers dug into his hip.  
“Yes, Rue. Cum, baby.” His jaw clenched, pushing forward. His vision went white, the pressure becoming unbearable. He needed her to cum. He couldn’t hold out much longer. She let out a strangled cry and clamped down on him. Her cum dribbled onto his balls and he let go.  
Magnus braced himself on the counter on either side of her. With a hiss, he pulled out then pulled her up into his arms. Neither said a word as he scooped her up and carried her up stairs to the bathroom. A comfortable silence settled between them as he finished undressing the two of them.  
The shower ran hot, steaming up the bathroom. He washed her from hair to toe, taking his time. He paused to push her back up against the wall and make her cum with his fingers and thumb. Rue rested her cheek against his back between his shoulders as he washed himself, her arms wrapped around his waist. Her fingertips teased the dark nest of hair at the base of his cock.  
She closed her eyes, breathing through her nose. Sleep tugged at her, but she fought it as she tugged at his cock. He closed his eyes and let his head drop back. Water drummed his throat and ran down his chest. He reached out and pushed against the tiles. His legs trembled, her sleepy stroking bringing him off far faster than could be explained. The nearly week apart and their heightened emotions explained it away. Her thumb rubbed over the purple head of his throbbing cock and she squeezed him more, milking him until he gasped and spurted cum against the wall and down the drain.  
After turning off the shower, Magnus lifted Rue out of the tub and dried her off before making quick work of drying himself off. He carried her to bed and cuddled up behind her, pushing his face into her hair. He knew in his heart he couldn’t live without her. And he was pretty sure she felt the same way.


	12. Chapter 12

The boat's engine roared to life. A chorus of male voices speaking Swedish came from the wheel house. Coffee cups clinked from below deck.  
"Do not embarrass me."  
"Aw Magsy, do ya like this girl that much?"  
"I do. So don't be a prick, a'right?"  
"We won't embarrass you."  
"Too much."  
"Agge, this is the first girl your brother has introduced to you." Hendrik Martinnson eased the boat out and away from the dock. "Don't prove the boy right."  
Magnus's older brother glanced at their middle brother, Rorie. "Alright, we'll be good."  
"That's a fucking lie."  
Rue climbed the few stairs from below deck to the wheel house, crowding it even more. "I hope you like your coffee strong. Mags and I didn't get much sleep last night." She winked at her boyfriend as his brothers each took a steaming cup off the tray.  
Magnus himself grabbed a cup then kissed her cheek. "Thanks, baby."  
Hendrik smirked from the wheel. "Mr. Martinnson? Would you like a cup?"  
"Yes, thank you. Just set it on the ledge there." Magnus took the empty tray from her and disappeared below.  
Rue hopped onto an empty ledge and crossed her ankles, her hands wrapped around the steaming cup. Agge glanced at her bright red painted nails and her long, elegant fingers poking out of fingerless gloves. He had to admit, his brother had found looker.   
"Mr. Martinnson?"  
"Rue, call me Hendrik. The one in the back is Rorie and the one trying to get your attention is my oldest Agge."  
"Pleasure." They all nodded. "Hendrik, where are we fishing today?"  
"An inlet not too far from here. By the time the sun is at it's zenith, it should be warm enough to take off your boots and put your toes in the water."  
She grinned. "Did Mags warn you?"  
"Warn me?"  
"Oh he didn't? Goodie!" She clapped her hands, lifting her feet out in front of her.  
Magnus reemerged from below deck. "What are you so excited about?"  
"Your dad just told me the water should be warm enough to put my feet in the water."  
The brothers disappeared out of the wheel house and congregated on the stern. Rue watched them through the windows as they prepared their reels. "So, Magnus tells me you go fishing with your dad and your brother?"  
"Yea, I mean, yes. Well, we used to. Benji moved to LA. He works for a special effects company out there. And I've been here for the last 3 years, so." She shrugged.  
"Do you plan on staying in Ystaad?"  
Again, she shrugged. "I don't know. I'm on a work visa, but since my employer is going to prison for multiple murders, I'm not really sure what's going on."  
Hendrik laughed. "Surely, there's someone else running the company."  
"Um, no...not really. I spoke with Alex last week. He's liquidating everything before it goes out of business."  
"So that leads me back to my question, are you staying?"  
Rue looked out the window. She smiled at the big, goofy grin on her love's face. She didn't know what they were talking about. "I'd like to. But I'll probably be unemployed and homeless within the next few months."  
Hendrik glanced out the window. He recognized the look on her face. "You love my boy."  
She blushed and looked down at her cup. "I do."  
"And he loves you. Or else he wouldn't have subjected you to his idiot brothers." She laughed suddenly. Magnus turned to look at the wheel house. She waved at him then turned to Hendrik. "If you can't stay, ask him to go."  
"Mr. Martinnson, Hendrik, I can't do that."  
Magnus's father looked from Rue to his boy. "You can. And you should."

Laughter echoed off the trees surrounding the cove. The sun was surprisingly warm. Rue had shed her sweater and her boots. Magnus watched her back flex under the racer back tank as she reeled in her second catch. She unhooked the fish and carried it over to the cooler. She lifted the lid and dropped it in.  
Magnus licked his lips at the glimpse of cleavage when she bent over. He knew she was wearing a bikini underneath her clothes. If he squinted, he could see the ties of the bottoms at her hips under the snug leggings.  
"Hey dad, do you think the water's warm enough?"  
"Should be. Just don't scare the fish, son. They're biting pretty good."  
Rue gestured to the bow of the boat with her eyes. She leaned the fishing pole in the metal ring along the rail. Agge and Rorie watched her pad bare foot along the starboard side. "We were going to razz the hell out of you, but goddamn, she is hot."  
Magnus reached out and slapped both his brothers in the side of the head. "Thanks, assholes." He leaned his pole in the metal ring and followed her to the bow. By the time he joined, she'd already pulled her shirt off and stepped out of the leggings. He pulled the shirt above of his head.  
Rue kissed him and reached for his waistband. "Rue, baby, we can't. This is my dad's boat."  
She laughed. "Just take your pants off." He shimmied out of the jeans. He hadn't intended on swimming, so he'd only worn his boxers. She kissed him again, walking him back to the rail. "Get in the water."  
"Rue, my dad-"  
She stepped back and shoved him with both hands. He let out of surprised shout and went over the edge. After the splash, three pairs of thunderous feet came around the port side of the boat. Rue finally got her laughter under control. She leaned on her hands on the rail.  
"You're lucky I love you, Monroe!"  
"I love you too!" She blew him a kiss then yelped as Agge picked her up and threw her over the side. She flailed and kicked, causing a big splash.  
"You're scaring the fish."  
"Oh come on, dad." Agge and Rorie began to strip.  
"Fine, you four have a good swim. I'm gonna go take a nap."  
Magnus pulled Rue into his arms, treading water. "I think they like you."  
"Good." He kissed her, a deep lingering kiss. His brothers gave a shout and jumped into the water. Her conversation with his dad sat in the back of her head.


	13. Chapter 13

Magnus fidgeted his leg up and down rapidly. He held onto the counter tightly. This was the longest, most excruciating wait of his life and it was only five minutes. He pushed off the counter and paced the kitchen again, raking his fingers through his hair.  
He heard the bathroom door open. Mentally, he counted her steps to the stairs and down each of them. He looked up as she walked into the room. He couldn’t get over how this rainbow haired beauty loved him. The messy bun just added to the myriad of colors her hair was. He couldn’t gage her reaction. Her eyes were rimmed in red where she’d been crying. Again, he couldn’t tell what that meant. He wanted to kiss her swollen lips and take that sadness away.  
She tossed the long thin piece of plastic onto the counter. It slid to the edge and he lunged for it to stop it from falling. “It’s negative.”  
He swallowed and looked down at the little stick that told him he was not going to be a father. He sighed in a mix of relief and disappointment. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it into the trash and closed the distance between them.  
“Magnus, please say something.”  
He didn’t. Instead, he rubbed the arms that held her torso tightly before he wrapped his around her and held her against his chest. “Tell me what you’re feeling first.”  
Rue blinked back the tears that trembled on the edges of her eyelids. “Relief and disappointment. Relief because I don’t know that right now is a good time to have a baby with everything up in the air. Plus, we never discussed children. Or marriage for that matter. And I don’t want you to think that I’d use a pregnancy to get a citizenship or visa or whatever.” She looked up at him. “Now, say something.”  
“Well, for starters, I don’t think that you’d use a pregnancy for any of that. And second, I agree. Now isn’t the best time for a baby. But…I wouldn’t be opposed to a baby in the future. With you. Or marriage for that matter. And lastly, relief and disappointment hit the nail on the head.” He hooked a finger under her chin and tipped her head back until he could look her in the eyes. “But if you had been pregnant, I would have been there. Regardless of everything up in the air.” A weight lifted from her shoulder and she melted into the kiss he placed on her lips and his body.

The crowd at the bar was in a high form. Rue had sung three songs already and had managed to get Magnus on the stage for the third, which happened to be the B-52s Love Shack. The drunken crowd ate it up.  
Rue and Magnus knocked back another free shot from someone who was enjoying the performances. She glanced down. He had his hand in his pocket again, fiddling. She leaned in, brushing her lips against the lobe. “If you keep playing with yourself, I’m going to have to take you to the bathroom.”  
His chest caught. No, he wasn’t playing with his cock, but the thought of her blowing him or them fucking in the bathroom was dirty enough for his inebriated brain to latch onto and scream at the top of its lungs. Wait, brains didn’t have lungs. So why was his screaming at him to take her to the bathroom?  
Her name was called again and she dashed off to the stage. Magnus followed her this time. It wasn’t a duet, but he stood on stage, watching her dance and sway that long, wavy hair. The rainbow glowed under the black and strobe lights. She sang about gypsies, spinning in a circle. Her skirt fanned out and he hoped to go she’d worn panties tonight if it got too much higher. Actually, he hoped she hadn’t because he was taking her to the bathroom after this song.  
Rue handed the deejay the mic before skipping to him at the side of the stage. “Wait. Come here.” He gestured for the mic. The deejay raised an eyebrow. “Most of you know my little songbird. She’s been coming here for a few years, right?”  
Rue nodded then answered, her puzzlement growing. “Three years.”  
“Three years. And I’ve been coming here since I turned 21…so about six or seven. Safe to say most of you regulars know us, right?” A cheer went up and got louder as he pulled up his pant leg and knelt on one knee.  
“Magnus,” she hissed. “What are you doing? Get up, right this instance.”  
“Rue baby, I’ve never met another girl like you. We feel so natural together. And I know it’s cliché but you complete me. You get me and my sometimes hectic and irregular and complicated life. I’ve known for a while I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. So I’m asking you…will you marry me?”  
As he’d been speaking, he’d been rummaging in his pocket. The dancing light glinted off a diamond and amethyst ring clutched between his fingers. Rue’s jaw had dropped as soon as she realized what he was doing. She could think of quite a few very valid reasons to say no. The crowd seemed to hold its breath as he made his speech. Then all eyes fell on her. But the only eyes that mattered stared up at her. Shimmering pools of blue that shined in the strobes and danced in the black.  
He loved her. She loved him. All those reasons to say no didn’t mean a damn thing. She leaned down so the mic could pick up her trembling voice. “Yes, you fucker.” He dropped the mic as she kissed him roughly and tipped them backwards. A thunderous roar filled the small dive bar. Their kiss deepened into something less appropriate for public. Hoots and wolf whistles erupted.  
“Would someone get these two a room?” The deejay grinned and the crowd laughed and cheered.  
Breathlessly, Magnus pulled away enough to slip the ring on her finger. They stood from the stage and exited stage right to another cheer. She swung around on him in the back hall. “What the Hell!” She shoved his chest hard with both hands.  
“I was afraid you’d say no. I knew if I asked you in front of crowd it would increase my chances of you saying yes.” He grinned.  
“You know I would have said ‘yes’ no matter where you asked me. Or ‘no’, for that matter, if I didn’t want to regardless of the crowd.” Before he could answer, she kissed him again and reached into his pocket, seeking his cock through the thin fabric of the pocket.  
“Rue baby, not here.”  
She pressed her face into his neck, breathing him in. “Yes, here. Bathroom.” They hurried down the hall to the bathroom, her leading the way. Rue slammed the door behind him and locked it. He fell on her, mouth and hands eager to get a hold of her. She backed up to the sink then turned around, lifting the knee length skirt up over her ass.  
As he’d hoped, she hadn’t worn knickers. His alcohol-impaired fingers fumbled with his belt, button and zipper. Her hand slapped the mirror as he pushed his semi-hard cock against her opening. With a grunt from him and cry for her, his hardening cock stretched her. Her fingertips pushed against the glass. His gaze found hers in the reflection of the mirror.  
Someone pounded on the door. Magnus glanced down to watch his cock emerge then disappear back inside her, fully hard. She moved up onto her toes. Rue exaggerated licking her fingers as he watched then reached between her legs to rub her clit. His eyes widened then he gritted his teeth and fucked her harder, making her cry out louder. The pounding grew louder.  
Magnus’s hand covered hers on the glass and the fingers locked together. Their gazes never separated, each becoming louder and more breathless. Her lower body stiffened and clenched on him as her orgasm tore through her. Eye contact broke as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back. He buried his face in the hair at the back of her neck, trembling as he rode out his own release.  
They recovered and made themselves decent, kissing in between nearly every action. Rue opened the door as the person pounding on the other side raised their hand to pound again. The pair grinned like idiots and dashed down the hall. Magnus pulled her into his arms and kissed her again, drinking from her lips.  
Rue slowly opened her eyes as he pulled away. She leaned in and nuzzled her nose along his, raking her fingers through his hair. “Take me home. Once was not enough.”  
“Gladly.”

The cab pulled away from the curb. Rain splashed the windshield where the wipers whipped it back and forth. The wind kicked up and blew more rain against the cab. Magnus reached for Rue’s hand. She turned from the Midwestern thunderstorm that had welcomed her home. Thankfully, the plane had landed before it overtook the airport.  
“Are you nervous?”  
“A little bit.”  
She grinned and touched his face, trialing her fingertips down his cheek to his chin before she leaned in and kissed him tenderly. “Don’t be. Daddy will love you.” Magnus licked his lips as he thought. He wasn’t as sure as she was. She settled into his arms, watching the storm through the car window.  
Magnus must have dozed off because next thing he knew she was nudging him awake. “We’re here.” He stretched as he sat up, easing the cramp in his back. She climbed over him and leapt from the back passenger side door.  
The cab driver grumbled as he hefted himself out to help them with their luggage out of the trunk. Each of them had three suitcases plus their carry-ons. Everything else was being loaded onto a crate and shipped over by freight.  
Rue’s dad threw open the door as she bounded up the stairs, unencumbered by her extra weight which she promptly dropped in a heap and jumped into his arms. He squeezed her tightly in a bear hug, turning in a half circle back and forth. Magnus paid the driver and tipped him for helping to carry the luggage to the porch. In the rain.  
“Daddy, I want you to meet Magnus.” Magnus shook Mr. Monroe’s hand. It was a good, firm handshake but neither tried to squeeze or test the other man. “Detective Magnus Martinnson, meet Sergeant Daniel Monroe.” She beamed back and forth at two of the three men she loved in the whole world.  
“It’s good to meet you, Magnus. Come inside before you two catch your death.”  
“Yes, sir.” They carried the suitcases into the living room. Magnus looked around the room. His grin grew as he saw so much of Rue and what could only be her brother.  
Sergeant Monroe looked between Magnus and his daughter. “I’ll go check dinner while you kids get settled in.” He’d never thought his baby girl would date a cop. Stranger things. He shook his head, grinning to himself as he heard Magnus’s startled yelp.  
Rue hung her jacket on one of the wall hooks. Magnus was in the middle of taking his off when she tackled him to the couch. He yelped in surprise, his arms effectively pinned by her weight and the jacket. “Welcome to my home, Mr. Martinnson.”  
Magnus grunted as he extricated his arm from the jacket to cup her jawline. “Why thank you, Mrs. Martinnson.” Her happy grin widened and he felt like his heart would burst. That smile alone was worth leaving the Ystaad police force, his family, his home, the only life he’d ever known. So long as she smiled like that smile every day of her life, it would be worth it. And he’d do everything in his power to make her smile that smile, every day of her life.  
“Say it again.”  
“Mrs. Martinnson.”  
“Again.”  
He pulled his other arm free finally and cupped both sides of her face. He kissed her slowly, his tongue exploring her mouth. “Mrs.” She breathed heavily after he kissed her again, tasting her completely to the point he’d have to stop or they become obscene. “Martinnson.” She grinned wider if that were possible. Oh yes, definitely worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I left it an open ending in case Mags and Rue start talking again and want more of their story told. Right now, they're satisfied and that's all that matters. Hope you enjoyed them because I had so much fun.


End file.
